The Metal Zealot
by Metal-Zealot
Summary: He thought he discovered the truth, but no one accepted it. They took away his hands and his teacher and believed he was dead. But Jashin helps his loyal followers. Origanal Characters
1. Chapter I

**Moons: I deleted the Prelude, 'cause it was a load of crap.**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, just the origanal characters._

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"Real life's nasty. It's cruel. It doesn't care about heroes and happy endings and the way things should be. In real life, bad things happen. People die. Fights are lost. Evil often wins.

I just wanted to make that clear before we begin."

-_Darren Shan, A Living Nightmare_

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**Setting: Shippuden; Kuma no Kuni (Land of Bears)**

It was an extremely cold night. Not as cold as it got in the Yuki no Kuni (Land of Snow), but still a fall night like this could get pretty freakin' cold. Not the place Sora wanted to be without his gloves and jacket. Yet, here he was.

A few articles of clothing weren't all he was missing. All his food, most of his water and kunai, and most importantly...

"Senpia..." Sora muttered. His grey hands, colder than the rest of his body, reached to his side and pulled out the katana to defend himself. Something told him they weren't done yet.

Bastards!

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**Setting: 6 1/2 years before Shippuden; Ishi no Kuni (Land of Stone)**

"Sora, can you dust off that table in the corner for me? Boss has been nagging about it."

"Okay, onii-san."

"That cute, little boy is your brother?"

"Yep." Ichigo told the young woman pouring her another cup of sake. "He's actually a lot of help around here for an eight-year old."

"You aren't letting him near the alcohol, are you?!" the woman snapped suddenly.

"Hell no!" Ichigo replied quickly, "I had to be a complete kiss up to convince Boss to let him work here with me- Boss thought he was cute too. He really like kids, but he thought that Sora should be somewhere like the Ninja Academy instead of helping me in this tavern for grown-ups. But I explained to him-yah see- I'm the only one looking after him. We got no parents. No body to look after him at home, an' with my income I can't exactly afford the luxury of making him a ninja. Gotta work overtime."

"I see." The women said, sipping her drink. She examined the pair for a second._'The brothers looked identical enough to tell they're related. 'Bout ten years apart in age. Dirt-brown hair cut in the same style: short and somewhat spiky at the top and in the front. Their faces are similar, but Ichigo has brown eyes while Sora's eyes look light blue. They're defiantly short on money; their clothes show that. Sora's pants are too big.'_

Sora finished wiping the table and returned to his nee-san behind the counter, holding the dirty rag behind his short-sleeved red shirt.

"Great job. Just throw that thing in the sink, and then stay with this pretty lady while I see to the other customers. And remember-"

"Stay away from the grown-up drinks." Sora finished for him in his cute, little-kid voice.

Ichigo smiled and poured a drink for a man on the other end of the counter.

"Thanks." The man told him, "That kid was here last week too. How long has he been working with you?"

"I dunno. At least half a year now." Ichigo replied. "He's not only good with helping me out with work, but he helps me with the babes too." He flashed a slightly perverted stare at the woman from earlier. She didn't notice. She was ruffling up Sora's hair, complimenting on how adorable he was.

"Un, I see what you mean." The man lifted his cup to take a drink-

_CRASH!!_

The door slammed open breaking one of the hinges. A very large man in his late twenties stood in the doorway. This guy was huge, almost 7ft tall at least! He had a brown beard, mid-length messy hair, a bent nose, and brown, narrowed eyes. A ten-gallon hat was dangling behind him attached to neck by a string in front of a large coat.

"Stupid teenagers." He spat, annoyed by something unknown that had gone on outside.

"Crud..." Ichigo mumbled. He clutched his brown sleeve, cleared his throat, and opened his mouth, but was stopped by the stranger walking up to his little nee-san.

"Aren't you too young to be here?" He asked the little kid who was sitting in a chair too big for him next to the woman.

"Back off." She said protectively. "The child has no choice but to stay with his brother."

"Oh really?" The man didn't even look at her. He had got down to Sora's level and stared into his big, blue eyes. Then he stood straight again and looked at Ichigo approaching him. "I'm assuming you're his brother."

Ichigo nodded, "And I hate to break it to you, but just like I'm responsible for my bro you're responsible for that door. I hope you have the cash to pay for it's repair."

"You don't need a freakin' repairman!" The man snapped, "I can fix it! Just get me a couple of tools." Ichigo agreed.

The afternoon dragged on. The woman next to Sora wanted him to stay there the whole time so she could babble on to him about her ex-boyfriend-baka or the gambling hall at the other side of the Stone Country. Sora couldn't care less and didn't pay any of his attention to her. Instead he focused it on the man repairing the door. Door repair wasn't something he was experienced at and the woman had gotten exhausted and left before the door was completely fixed.

When the job was done, the man sat down at a table in the corner to rest. "Can I get you anything?" Ichigo asked him. "Yeah," He said, "Two glasses of water."

"Uh, are you sure?" The man replied, "Yeah, I'm sure, because one: I'm cranky and the last thing you want to give me is some god damn sake. Two: Your brother is way to young to start drinking." The explanation surprised Ichigo. "What do you want with him?"

"Nothing. Just a friendly talk."

"...Fine, but I'll be watching the whole time. Try and do one thing and I'll make you regret it."

"Fair enough."

Sora was told by his nee-san to talk to the man for awhile while a close eye was kept on him. He sat down across from the man, a part of him excited. "You wanted to talk, sir?"

"First off, don't give me that 'sir' crap." The man said sternly. "I have a name. It's Brom."

"Brom." Sora repeated, liking the strong sound. "My name's Sora."

"Pleasure to meet yah, Sora." Brom said, shaking Sora's hand. He took his glass of water and took a sip before saying, "So are you damned to work here forever like your brother?"

Sora shrugged, "I dunno."

"It sure looks like it." Brom said flatly.

"Well it isn't that bad." Sora pointed out, "Because of working here, I know every naughty word I'm not supposed to say."

Though most people wouldn't have exactly considered that an advantage, Brom did. "So you're saying you know every cuss word in the dictionary." Sora nodded. "What does shit mean?"

"It's like crap. It's nasty junk and usually poop of some kind."

"What's a bastard?"

"A guy who's a real evil pain in the butt."

"Hmm... what does it mean to fu-"

"Off? It's like crazy kissing, I think?"

"Eh, close enough. Stick to that." Brom smiled, "I'm impressed. I guess you learned from drunk retards. Am I right?"

"Maybe. Drunks do act like morons. They completely forget the lessons God taught them."

Brom's smile turned to a frown. "What's wrong?" Sora asked.

"So you believe in God like the rest of these suckers?"

"..."

"Be honest and give me an answer Sora!"

Sora gulped and said, "I've been told to repeatedly, but sometimes I think he isn't real." He flinched like he was expected a yell, slap, or at least a scolding. To his favor, Brom's frown had become a smile again.

"You're damn right he isn't real."

"What do you mean?" Confused Sora asked, "You, you aren't from the Stone Country, are yah Brom?"

"No, I'm not." Brom said, a bit impressed by Sora's ability to discover that about him. "How'd you know that?'

"Nobody says that in Ishi no Kuni."

"Ah right. So, I assume you've been raised to believe in the God here."

Sora nodded, still not sure where this was going. "All laws in this country are made by the prests and temple. They run everything, so I kinda have to."

"Well that's just wrong if the religion's bull." Brom stated. He picked up his glass of water and chugged it. Sora took this opportunity to look around the room. No one had heard their conversation. Everyone was too far away. _'What is with this guy?' _Sora wondered, _'If anyone else hears Brom talking like this, he'll be in big trouble. Is he drunk? No, he's only had water. What's he thinking?'_

He was thinking this: _'I'm glad I ran into Sora. He's really intelligent for his age; that just makes his fate so sad. It's for the best that I'm putting him on the right path.'_

He put his now empty glass on the table next to Sora's untouched one. He reached into one of the large pockets in his jacket and pulled out a pendant. It was a silver circle with a triangle inside it, the whole thing attached to the string Brom held it by. "Do you know what this is Sora?" The kid shook his head no, his large eyes glued to the pendant. "This is Jashin-sama's insignia."

"Jashin-sama..." Sora repeated, "So, he's a lord of some kind?"

"He's the true God."

"But, I thought God's name is unknown to us."

"That's in Ishi no Kuni. Jashinism is real truth and Jashin isn't afraid to give his name to the world. He wants his name known to spread fear into the hearts of people."

"Why fear?"

"Because Jashin-sama isn't all that nice. He and his loyal followers spread chaos across the land, killing those who defy him. For the loyalty given to him, Jashin-sama blesses us, his followers." _'Now here's the hard part.' _Brom thought, _'How will the kid react?'_

Sora stared at the table, processing the information in his head. "Are you ready to devote your life to Jashin like me, Sora? Take your time, but if your answer is no," Brom's expression was cold and serious. "I may have to kill you."

The young boy continued to stare down as he said, "Can you tell me more about Jashin, please? Can you show me how we know he exists?"

"You've seen the proof yourself." Brom explained, "You told me earlier that men who get drunk forget everything their god taught them, all their morals. Jashinism doesn't have morals except for the true human nature: kill and spread chaos. When you get drunk, your true colors show an' you're not so nice anymore. You do things that you would have considered sins. Humans ever show Jashin's law without being bakas. It happens all the time with shinobi and war. Shinobi act like such kindhearted gentlemen when they're in the village and people respect them and look up to them like heroes. Then they go on missions and get into battles. There they won't hesitate to kill a man on the spot with the simplest order. Then they come back think high of themselves."

Sora stared down at the table longer.

"Got any parents Sora?"

"Ichigo, er, my brother, doesn't talk about them. I brought the topic up once. He muttered something- a dirty word I think- and then he told me he didn't feel comfortable talking about them. Ichigo's my only family." Silence followed. "Brom,...do you really kill people like you say?"

"All the time." He answered.

Sora swallowed and said, "I guess it...can't hurt to give it a try. But, I wanna see you do it first. I'm still not sure."

"Good answer. Ichigo's the only one who looks after yah. When he's asleep, meet me outside this tavern. And don't tell anyone about anything or I just have to kill you no matter how cute you are." He reached again into the over-sized pocket, replacing the pendent with a wad of cash. He slid it across the table to Sora. "For the water. Speaking of which, you might want to try a sip or something. It'll make yah look normal and not like you've just been talking with a serial killer."

Brom stood up and Ichigo came up to him.

"You done here?"

"Yeah," Brom grunted, "Money's with your brother." He turned back to look at Sora once more, before heading out the door.

Sora handed the money to Ichigo. He took arom's advice and drank the water. Ichigo smiled a bit, tucking away the green bills. "Impressive tip, Sora. What'd you talk about?"

"Oh, nothing." Sora faked a smile, "Just one of those guys who enjoys small talk."

"I noticed him show you something. A pendant? What was it?"

"It was nothing special." Sora bluffed, "Only the guy's good luck charm. I swear, he was almost as boring as some of those girls who come here. He made me so tired, I may go to bed early." He took another drink of water.

"Yeah I'm a little worn out too." Ichigo agreed, "But those girl's aren't boring! They're hot!" Ichigo grinned a bit and Sora rolled his eyes.

They went home, ate, and went to bed. As soon as Sora heard Ichigo's gentle snores, he stood up and abandoned his blankets. He carefully closed the door behind him.

It was dark out and the streets were empty. Sora knew the rote to the tavern well. In roughly five minutes the building came into sight. Outside it, next to the 'Closed' sign, Brom leaned against the wall. Even in the cloudy night, his white teeth gleamed showing a smile.

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**Moons: Before you complain, this doesn't show my religious views in anyway!! Part of the reason I wrote this is because I wanted to consider the view of Hidan's religion. ****And before you ask, yes Hidan is my favorite character, but no I'm not a crazy fangirl because he's WAY older than me, but yes he is very good looking. X3**

**Sora didn't know better, but if a large creepy adult talks to you in a bar and tells you he's homicidal and worships an evil god and wants you to worship said evil god, please turn him into the police or something (cause if you don't, I could get in trouble for writing this).**

**About the names: Sora's a name used in filler, but I already had the name so he was stuck with it. Yes, I stole the name Ichigo from Bleach. It was the only Japanese name that was in my head when I was thinking of his name. According to Bleach, the name Ichigo means "he who protects", but the word itself means "strawberry" XD. Brom is taken from a fictional character who gave me inspiration. I'll give you a bonus prize if you can figure out the original Brom (who he is and what he's from).**

**The lands above are all real in the Naruto world. It's a rare moment, but actually watching most of that chunk of filler before Shippuden pays off. Or you could be lazy and go to Naruto Wikipedia. It's true, Naruto has a wikipedia. I must warn you though, it's completely up to date so spoilers beware. **

**I think that's everything. I'll be happy to answer questions as long as it doesn't give away spoilers. PLEASE REVIEW! I'll give magical bottles of soda pop to reviewers. You know you want one. **


	2. Chapter II

**Moons: Sorry if you actually read this and had to wait forever. This chapter is dedicated to three very important people. **

**First, to my little sister Emily who recently has gotten into anime (I'm so proud of her) and turned 12 years old today, July 28th, 2009. Part of me hopes you'll never see this, Emily. XD**

**Second, to litewarrior4 for being my first reviewer and for correctly figuring out where I got Brom's name. Here's soda and ice cream. *gives* Thank you Lite. (To be honest people, I'm just glad I didn't get flamed -sweatdrops-)**

**And lastly, to by my dear friend Danielle, who's been supporting this story from when I first told her about it many months ago (yes the idea's that old) and because if I don't delicate this to her, it's not gonna be pretty.  
**

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"I want you to feel pain, to think about pain, to accept pain, to know pain."

_~Pein; Naruto Shippuden_

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"Did you have any trouble escaping?" Brom asked, trying to lighten the mood. It helped a little if at all.

"It was... surprisingly easy" Sora replied, "Is lying always that way?"

"Hmm...well Sora, your brother trusts you and doesn't ever expect a lie. Fools like him are easy to bluff to. Others, however, are so good at finding the fibbers it's like they read minds. It all depends on how foolish the person is, how good of a liar you are, and how well they know you. You can tell easily when someone close to you is lying."

Sora's eyes turned to the ground. "I guess Ichigo isn't close then."

"You'll get over him." Brom assured. He pulled his hat over his head. "You think it's going to rain?" "No, but the hat helps hide my face, in a rare case of a witness or survivor." He took out the pendent next and began to pray silently while Sora stayed close by his side.

The duo continued to walk until Brom halted suddenly. "A shinobi is coming." He said, noticing the newcomer with what seemed like a sixth sense. "Probably a Chunin level. Follow me and keep up."

Brom broke into a sprint, arms dangling behind him. Sora started to run, struggling to keep up to Brom's fast pace. After a short while he had to stop and rest for a few seconds because his gut ached from the work out. Then it was back to running after Brom before stopping to catch his breath again. They ran out of town into the fields of the country side, empty and abandoned. Sora walked up to Brom panting heavily.

"Get near the ground." Brom hissed.

"Huh?"

"Hide!"

Sora ducked into the tall stalks of grain that were growing. He peeked through to see Brom waiting. In about ten seconds a bald shinobi appeared. His headband had two stones showing he was from Iwagakure and was wrapped to cover his eyes.

"What's up, stranger?" the shinobi asked.

"No much. I'm just going to be killing killing yah."

"Hah! The shinobi laughed, "Prove it! Let me see your headband!"

"You don't need to be a shinobi to be able to fight." Brom told him. He reached inside his coat and pulled out a katana. The blade was nothing special. The handle was dark red and had a golden bear on it. The bear was on it's hind legs and roaring. Brom gripped the weapon firmly and got into a stance. Then he swiped the katana around a full 360 degrees in a flash. The blade cut the crops around it. Cuts appeared at the bottoms of the stalks of wheat around Brom and fell simultaneously. Brom next brought the katana up to his hand and pressed against it, causing it to drip blood. It dropped to the ground and Brom began to scrape and slide it around with his feet.

"The hell!?" His opponent said, "You're all talk and no walk, old man. You're wasting all your time in preparation for that dumb jutsu or whatever. If you're going to kill me, then _kill me!_"

"Be careful what you wish for," Brom replied, "Because I'm not doin' some retarded dance over here. Oh, I wish I could have more time to kill yah though. Then we could share lots of pain together."

Sora looked down at Brom's feet from his hiding place. The red liquid at his feet were forming a symbol. It was Jashin's symbol!

"Screw your pointless words!" The shinobi shouted, "Let's fight already!" He threw a couple of kunai. Brom knocked them aside with his katana, like they were nothing but annoying. In a flash of speed, he charged, cut the man's shoulder, and was back above the red symbol.

The now injured man and Sora both thought the same thing, _'He's fast. But why just one pointless cut?'_

"Not good enough." the shinobi told him, charging with a kunai.

"Crap." Brom said, blocking the attack. The shinobi didn't move his weapon, keeping it locked with Brom's sword. Then he flipped forward, putting his feet on the katana and pressing his weight against it. Brom's grip loosened and the blood-covered katana fell to the ground under the enemy's feet. He kicked it out of the way and it slid across the ground until it was right next to Sora's hiding place.

The shinobi tuned back to Brom to attack with the kunai. Brom grabbed his wrists with his large hands held him back. "How are you gonna fight like that? With just your bare hands?! You need a weapon."

"I have a weapon." Brom told him. He pushed the man to the ground with his superior strength. Then he reached inside his giant coat and pulled out another katana, a perfect twin to the first. "I always carry two." Those were the last words the man heard. Brom shot the katana into his heart and he died an instant, almost painless death.

A high pitched scream erupted nearby.

A dark-haired woman came charging at Brom. A kunai was held tightly in her hand. She screamed at him "You killed him! You killed him you son of a-"

Blood spilled.

She stopped and looked at her attacker with wide, scared eyes. Sora hadn't been thinking. He acted purely on instinct. It had told him to protect Brom, to kill the woman.

Red blood was dripping down from her gut. Sora had picked up Brom's katana and attacked her from the side. Her body couldn't take the pain. As soon as Sora removed the katana, she fell forward, dead.

"You didn't have to do that. I could have killed her on my own."

"I know. Something in my head told me to. Was it Jashin-sama?"

"Who knows... How do you feel, Sora?"

Sora glanced down at the woman with her dark ponytail and light make-up. "Like... I've just accomplished something. Something big."

"You did. Few people take their first kill that well."

_'My first kill...Brom was right...It all makes sense. Life makes sense now. I'm here to kill for Jashin.' _

"I think I'm ready Brom. To dedicate my life to Jashin-sama." Again Brom's teeth flashed in the dark night, grinning.

They took the corpses and hid them in the outskirts of the fields, not to be found until hours late. Brom went back to the insignia of Jashin in the dirt, Sora trailing behind him. "I'm sorry I couldn't show you the proper way to kill someone." He apologized, "Anyway, one of the most important things yah gotta remember is after each kill you have to show Jashin-sama you did it for him. Pray before the battle and after it for thirty minutes. No less. If you lose, beg for forgiveness."

He laid himself flat across the bloody symbol -his head and legs sticking out due to his massive size- and held his pendant at his chest. "Some day, you'll learn how to properly kill." Brom promised, "But for now, you'll have to do it the old fashioned way. When yah know how, you'll pray on a symbol like this. Right now, just stay at the edge I guess."

Sora did so, not noticing Brom doing something with his sword behind him. Sora prayed silently in his head. Not really having prayed before, Sora thought it would be difficult doing it for half an hour straight. Then, it became easy. He realized how...strangely good he felt about it. Was it Brom's strong words or Jashin-sama's will? He didn't know. He was just in a good mood and showed that he had sickly, yet truly enjoyed the kill.

He felt a hand on his should. "Get up. It's been thirty minutes." Sora blinked. "That was quick." Then Brom blinked. All the Jashinists he had heard of thought of praying thirty minutes straight was necessary, but long and annoying. Also kids like Sora were often impatient. Why the hell did he think it was quick?

Sora noticed something was up. "Brom-san?" Brom shook the thought from his head. "It's nothing, Sora. Come on. We have some vows to make."

* * *

"Owch!"

Blood ran down Sora's palm. "That...really hurt." Sora muttered, biting his tongue to try and forget the pain.

Brom said to him, "One who doesn't know pain doesn't have the right to inflict such suffering on others."

"That makes sense, but... it's still hard." He whimpered.

"You'll have to get used to it." Brom told him. "Starting now, your life's going to be filled with pain. Lots of pain."

The cut wasn't that large and if left alone wouldn't scar him permanently, but it stung like nothing Sora had felt before.

The red liquid poured from it and onto the symbol in the ground soon joined by more blood and a clear liquid that fell from the boy's face.

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**Moons: Like it? Don't like it? Please review!! Reviewers get soda pop!**


	3. Chapter III

**Moons: Big shout-out to my friend Rachel here. Reason? She doesn't even like Naruto, barely knows anything about it, but loves this story. She checked it out and emailed me later begging me to finish this chapter. Rachel, you rule! **

**Everyone, I hope this chapter makes up for the shortness of the last one. **

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Because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

_~ Alfred Pennyworth, The Dark Knight_

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On the very dawn that Sora had become a Jashinist after making his vows, Brom had to leave. Eight-year-old Sora held on to the grown-up's leg. "Please don't go!" He begged, "Please, please, pleeease! Not 'til I know everything about Jashin!"

Brom sighed. Sora was refusing to let go of his leg, even when he started walking. The shinobi currently residing in the country had recovered the dead bodies much quicker than he had predicted. Before the sun had risen, they were on the killers trail.

Brom didn't want to leave any more than Sora wanted him too. Yet being older and wiser, he knew had no choice. Staying here would just lead to his capture. Taking Sora along was out of the question. It would be much harder to remain incognito with an eight-year-old. It also would make him a kidnapper in the law's eyes. No one had any reason to suspect Sora of the events that went on that night, so as long as he didn't lose it he would be safest at home.

He took Sora to his house, "Get to bed, before your brother wakes up." Sora protested, "Can't I leave with you!? I'm old enough!"

Brom didn't agree. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a dagger. Just an average sized blade attached to a black handle, but plenty a threat to a child. Brom covered Sora's mouth to prevent screaming, and pressed the knife to the kid's throat.

"I'll cut it if you don't told as your told." He warned, "Now I'm gonna let yah go, but don't scream and wake Ichigo. Just get into bed."

Scared stiff, Sora backed away as soon as Brom released him and dived under his covers. Brom walked up and stuck the dagger into the floor next to him. "I'll be back." He promised. "I'll teach yah." And he left.

* * *

Sora's first kill as a Jashinist began only a matter of hours after Brom left.

Sora pretended to wake up normally in the morning. In reality, he hadn't slept at all. Before anything, he grabbed the dagger Brom had left him, examined it, and hid it in the front pocket of his brown pants. He searched around and found a medical kit in a drawer. He opened it and hastily wrapped bandages around his new scars. He groaned as they kept trying to open and bleed. Blood that did manage to spill in the process was quickly wiped up.

Ichigo yawned and stretched in the room next door. Sora gasped and stuffed the remaining supplies into the kit, stuffing the thing away in it's place. Anything that wasn't already covered by his clothes was now under a white wrapping of bandages. It was thick enough so the red color didn't bleed through.

The older brother entered the room as Sora was touching up the ends of the bandages, trying to make them stay down. "Sora!?"

Sora jumped. He turned a pale red as he looked at Ichigo, staring at him jaw dropped. A couple seconds of silenced passed. Then,

"Ichigo onii-san! I-i- er.... I'm not hurt, I-" His babbling stopped when he realized Ichigo was smirking. The smirking soon grew to laughter.

"Hahaha!" Ichigo laughed, "Oh...haha, oh man. I know you're not hurt, baka. How can you hurt yourself? The only thing that can cut you are the kitchen knifes and you can't even reach them." He laughed a little more and said, "It's just, with all those bandages you look... haha... you look so cute."

Sora looked far more angry than guilty now. "What do you mean 'cute'!?" He yelled. Ichigo snickered a little more before answering, "You're playing shinobi, right?"

"Playing shinobi?"

"Yeah," Oblivious Ichigo said, "You've seen them in town before. They sometimes wear bandages like that on their arms. Probably to hide scars or something."

_'Idiot!' _Sora smiled, "Yeah, I noticed. I was just worried you wouldn't." He took a superhero pose. "I'm a shinobi!" He cried out, causing Ichigo to laugh again and him to sweatdrop.

"Alright, I have work." Ichigo said when he regained control of himself. "Let's eat, then get going."

* * *

Sora couldn't focus during Ichigo's full time shift. Disparate for a place to rest, he got behind the counter and crawled over to the deepest, darkest corner. He leaned against a wall between a stash of wine that was frozen shut and thawing and the door to the quarters of Ichigo's boss. Slowly, his eyes closed and gave him the sweet comfort of sleep.

Ichigo's boss was a gruff man with a gray beard, aging into his sixties. He opened the door and looked around at the people crowding into his tavern for lunch with a smile on his face. Business was good today. He took a step forward and nearly jumped when he accidentally kicked something. Or rather, someone.

The old man's eyes softened at the sight of the sleeping child. Despite his mean appearance and grouchy attitude, he loved children. Ichigo's little brother, Sora, was a fond favorite of his- partly because he was one of the few children he knew. _'He looks so cute... Poor thing also looks exhausted. Wait, are those _bandages_!?'_

The boss leaned down for a closer look, careful not to wake Sora. He cautiously touched the edge of a bandage that was coming loose on his palm and unraveled it a bit. A cut was reviled. The man gasped at the sight of it. It was small, but looked like it ran all the way up his arm. The man's eyes narrowed and his face turned hard.

He stood up and looked over at his employee across the room. When Ichigo went behind the counter, the boss tapped his shoulder and said, "Wrap up your work. I want you in my office before your lunch break." Ichigo replied with a quick nod and his boss stormed back into his room.

* * *

"You're fired." Ichigo's jaw dropped. "Wait, what!? What'd I do!?"

"Check out your brother." The boss replied, "I'm sure you'll know then.... Such irresponsibility."

Ichigo was confused for the next few seconds. Then, "Is this about his bandages? Dude, that's just-"

"Just what!?" "...just a game...." Ichigo replied weakly.

"A GAME!?" The man exploded. Ichigo couldn't defend himself anymore over his boss's ranting and cussing and yelling. He stood still in fear as the angry man in front of him continued to shout. The only thing he could think was, _'Thank god the door's closed shut.'_

A few minutes later, the young adult left the room. He no longer had a job. This job was all that was supporting him and Sora and now it was gone. He found Sora half asleep beside the door, not looking as though he had heard any of that. "Com'on Sora." He said, lifting him up by his hand. "Lunch time sleepyhead."

Sora trailed behind him, holding on to his hand. Some ways down the street he asked, "What was up at work today, onii-san?"

Ichigo put his biggest smile on his face. "Work? Work was great! Boss gave me the rest of the day off!" Sora's eyes stayed on the ground and didn't move. Ichigo continued anyway.

"Yeah, we can hang out the whole day! Tomorrow too, maybe! We can go into town, see the shops, play around!" Ichigo kept his joyous face slapped on as they headed home for lunch. Sora didn't even look at it.

"You're lying." He muttered under his breath as he started kicking a pebble in his path. Ichigo ether didn't hear or ignored him. The smile on his face grew sad.

* * *

The tavern owner woke at about one in the morning. "Bathroom." He said aloud to no one. He stumbled out of his bed and made his way to the door, picking up a lit lantern on his way out. He slammed the door behind him. Living alone meant no need to be quiet.

On his way down the hall, he stopped when he saw something move. He blinked and whatever it was disappeared. He shook his head and scolded himself, "You're jumping at shadows. Get a hold of yourself, old timer."

He took a few more steps and the 'shadow' appeared again. The man moved closer and it took the form a child. He held up the lantern and recognized the figure. "Sora-kun?! Is that you? What the hell are you doing here!?" The boy's hands were behind his back, his face emotionless.

Sora looked down at the floorboards. "I want to know why you fired Ichigo." He said, looking innocent enough.

"He didn't tell you?"

"He's trying to act like he still has a job. I won't dare ask him and let him know that I know."

The old man sighed, "Crap... I'm sorry, Sora-kun. I knew that job was important to you two, but I saw you were injured-"

"Injured?" Sora repeated, a small amount of shock in his voice. "What made you think I was injured?"

"Your bandages. I lifted the end a little when you were napping today. I saw your cut. If Ichigo can't take care of you, he can't expect to keep his job. People who make mistakes can't keep jobs." The man explained.

"Oh..." Sora said. A small smile came on his face as he understood what he had to do. He reviled his hands. In his right hand was the dagger with the black handle. The man became frozen. "S-sora-k-"

"I injured myself and made sure that Ichigo didn't know. I cut myself!" Sora raised his voice. "Then I covered myself with bandages, and Ichigo believes I've been playing shinobi!" His eyes grew cold as he stared up at the older man and yelled. "You made a mistake. I made sure Ichigo-onii-san had nothing to with it. You made a mistake!"

"L-listen Sora!" His victim stuttered. "I-I see- you- you have problems, Sora! But- but violence is never the answer! Y-you have to talk this out, r-right!? Just p-put down the knife an-"

"No!" Sora yelled, "You- you made a mistake! People who make mistakes can't keep jobs!" He raised the knife. The man pleaded, trying to offer the brother's job back, but all that came out was whimpers. "Sometimes people who make mistakes lose more than jobs!"

Dagger clutched in his fist, he flung it into the man.

* * *

Sora stabbed the corpse over and over again. Even in death, it just kept bleeding onto the floor. _'Okay...I can stop... he's dead for sure now...'_

He ripped the dagger out of the corpse for the final time. He was gasping for breath, the event had gone so fast. The floor around the multiply-stabbed dead man was covered in blood. It gushed out of the chest and coated Sora's hands as well as the dagger. The stuff ran partly up his arms and had splashed onto his knees, red shirt, and even a little on his face. Sora's hands dropped the dagger and moved down to the floor.

A groan of pain escaped his throat. His right hand had landed on a piece of glass that was once part of the lantern that a dead man carried. It got stuck in his palm. He quickly tore it out. This resulted in more blood spilling and tears of pain piercing Sora's eyes. He bit down on his tongue and wiped them away.

The smile came back on his face. He did it. He got his revenge. He had killed again! The smile opened and became a loud, happy laugh. "Haha.... I did it!! Haha!" His celebration was short-lived. "Pray..." He reminded himself. "Gotta pray." He scanned the room looking for something.

He took the dagger again and cut out a loose floorboard. The wood was cut easily buy the sharp blade. It wasn't even half a foot; he didn't need that much. He began to carve into it. The blade was so sharp compared to the weak material, it went straight through. Sora quickly formed a new plan. He began a rushed attempt to cut the wood some more.

In the end he had a roughly done wooden symbol in his hands. Jashin's circle. It was sloppy, but completed. He clasped back onto the wall and prayed.

* * *

The water started running. Sora watched as the mixture of blood and water flowed down the drain. He carefully made sure that the blood got off his arms. His bandages were off and some of the blood came from his opening cuts. He didn't complain, even though he wanted to.

Sora turned the water off. He opened the medical kit next to him and took out mess of bandages. This time, he made sure that they reached all the way from his palms to his shoulders even though his sleeves would cover them. He crammed the few remains of the bandages back into the kit and stored it away. He pulled a clean shirt on and climbed into his bed.

* * *

"Oi, Sora?" Ichigo shook his brother. "You up?"

A small groan came from under the covers. "Ichigo... I just want to sleep."

"But-"

"Just let me sleep. I'm tired. Really tired. You can go ahead and go where ever. I'll be fine."

Ichigo didn't like the idea, but "Fine. I'll be back soon, an hour tops. Be safe while I'm gone." He left the small house and locked the door behind him. He could run to a few stores and see what jobs were available. On the bright side, the new job couldn't be much worse than the tavern he was fired from. As he walked down the road, he spotted the tavern with the 'closed' sign at the entrance. _'That's odd. It should have been open an hour ago.'_

* * *

Many more murders were committed by Sora over time. All of them done in the same way: stabbed by a small blade. Ichigo was a suspect with knowledge that he hated or had something against many of the victims as well as some forensic evidence against him. Yet proof was found that it was impossible fore him to commit some of the killings, so the authorities assumed he might have been framed. For the time being, his name was cleared.

Of course, no one even suspected Sora was the one behind it all. No one ever considers a child committing homicide. He got away with every one for a long time.

Afraid of this new, unstoppable serial killer many people including Ichigo and Sora moved closer to the capital city where shinobi gathered and there were temples for the god. As these people grew more sad and scared Ichigo noticed Sora was doing the opposite. He was becoming happier. Ichigo wanted to believe that Sora was just young and happy to be free of the tavern. Recently, Sora started working odd jobs like a D-rank shinobi to help support them. He was making a good amount of cash from it- more than Ichigo had made at his previous job. Ichigo didn't have time to worry about Sora. He was too busy looking for a job for himself. During that time, Sora grew up.

* * *

**Setting: 2 1/2 years before Shippuden; Ishi no Kuni's capital city**

Sora returned home late, as usual.

"You know I don't like it when you come back at this hour."Ichigo told him, "Yah know, with it dark out and all."

"I know." Sora replied.

Ichigo hadn't changed much. His hair was the same and his face had only aged a bit. His shirt had been replaced with a more comfortable brown sweater.

Sora on the other hand had changed a lot. He grew to be only a few heads shorter than the adults. His face had aged to that of a twelve-year-old's and his hair had grown out. It was now pulled back into a ponytail, but remained spiky in the front. As for his clothes, his pants were still a bit too big and required a belt to hold them up. His old shirt had been replaced with a white T-shirt and red jacket. All and all, he was actually kind of cute.

He had even been asked out by a friendly girl, but turned her down due to the fact that he had sworn off romance when he became a Jashinist. To free her of her sorrow of rejection, he killed her like many others. Not the best way to rid one of sorrow, but it worked for Sora. Besides, she might be happier somewhere else.

Might be...

"Any luck finding work, Ichigo-onii-san?" Ichigo hung his head in disappointment. "I see..." Sora said.

"I'm starting to think that other people assume I'm a drunk just because I used to work in a tavern 4 years ago." Ichigo said.

"While we're on the topic of work, I may be out late tomorrow. Again."

"Of course. No surprise there."

Sora was always out late. Ask ether brother and he'll say he was doing his odd jobs which took a long time to wrap up and were far away from home. Then he'll come home, have a quick bite to eat with Ichigo, then go to his room. There, unknown to Ichigo, he would take out a wooden treasure of his: a pendent. It was rough and in poor quality, but still with him after all the years.

* * *

The next evening Ichigo found himself far from home because of a job interview. _'For once,' _He thought, 'I'll be the one home late." He wondered how Sora would react to that. To his surprise he spotted Sora a distance away. They were the only ones on the street or nearby except for an elderly woman walking Sora's way.

Sora didn't noticed Ichigo, who decided to sneak up and shock him. Sora came up to the lady with a kind smile and friendly greeting. They exchanged a few words. then Sora pointed into a nearby alley. Ichigo was hidden close enough to catch a few words.

"-og ran...-ley. You...-et 'im back?"

The old woman smiled and nodded. She followed him into the alley.

_'What the hell?!'_ Ichigo thought, _'Why are they going in there?'_

He heard the woman scream! He ran to the entrance of the alley. Sora had his back to him. He was pulling a dagger from the corpse's chest.

Ichigo's breath stopped. He hid behind the wall, heart pounding. He regained enough self control to look around the corner and into the alley again. He saw Sora leaning back against the wall. His eyes were closed and he looked as though he was praying. By his side was a purse emptied of it's contents. He held something wooden in his hand. Ichigo quietly leaned forward for a better look. It was a triangle inside a circle.

Sora took a deep breath and Ichigo panicked. He sneaked away from his sibling and broke off running. He ran straight to the temple where the shinobi gathered and worked.

* * *

An old, balding monk listened as Ichigo retold his story. "Normally this would be considered an A-rank, I guess." Ichigo said when he finished, "I only have the money for a B-rank, but I'm begging you. I'm worried about Sora. I- I think he might be the serial killer."

The monk put on a smile. "Relax child. We aren't greedy. We aren't even sure that Sora-kun is the serial killer, so it's a high C-rank mission for his arrest and interrogation. I'll find a four-man squad and they'll go to your home."

* * *

Sora was home alone. He shrugged off the fact that Ichigo was gone and tucked the money he had taken into a safe place. He didn't see keeping it as wrong, considering that he needed the money more than a corpse. It was the real source of about half his money.

He prepared a can of instant ramen and slurped not bothering to use a bowl.

There was a loud knock at the door. "Come in." He said as he slurped the noodles into his mouth.

* * *

"We may have a problem." The monk continued. He pulled out a book and flipped it open. The pages were filled with religious symbols. "You mentioned that before you ran off he was praying, yes?"

Ichigo nodded. "He was holding an object. It looked something like this." He took a pen and notepad from the desk and and drew a triangle with a circle around it. He turned the paper around and showed it to the elder.

He gasped. "Th-this- this is..." He breathed in slowly. "The triangle. You drew it upside down inside a circle!" He flipped through the pages as he babbled.

"Er... it could have been right side up."

"Doesn't matter. It's been told ether way." He pointed on the page to what he was looking for. In bold black writing was a name: **Jashin. **"He worships an evil god!"

* * *

Sora landed on the round in a thud. "What the fuck!? Why am I here!?"

Ichigo looked down at his little brother.

"Ichigo! These people came and arrested me! You got to tell-"

"I've already told them." Ichigo said said sternly. "I've told them everything I saw."

Sora was silent, his jaw dropped. He pulled it up and moved his eyes to the floor. "You saw me kill that old hag, didn't yah?"

A fist pounded on the table with anger. Ichigo squeezed his eyes shut as though holding back tears. "You.... you.... Why the hell did you do it Sora!?"

"Why the hell did you rat me out!?" Sora shouted, "I've killed a lot of people-mostly people you hated- for my deity and..." He trailed off. _'I thought you'd at least accept it. You may be a perverted baka, but you're still my brother. You're the only family I know. The only family I've ever known.' _

"We'll take that as a confession." One of the shinobi said, "You're under arrest for-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Sora yelled at him, "I know I'm the serial killer! I've been committing murder for years now. So what are you assholes going to do with me!? Huh!?"

The four shinobi in the room grabbed Sora by force and handcuffed him. To their surprise, Sora snickered when they restrained him. His eyes grew wild and he began to laugh.

"Haha! You sucker think you're so good! You think you can restrain me!? Jashin-sama will help me! He'll get me to freedom! And I'll come back! And I'll kill all of you! Hahahaha!"

His suddenly bloodshot eyes shot to Ichigo. A huge grin was slapped across his face. It was the strangest mixture of pure joy and deep hatred.

The shinobi pulled him away leading him out of the room. Ichigo's throat was dry. He seriously thought he was going to break down and cry.

The old monk next to him read his mind. "You can do it. It's alright."

And Ichigo cried on the table. Not like a shinobi's honorable cry, standing in salute for a funeral. He cried like a baby.

That night was Sora's first experience with insanity.

* * *

**Moons: Holy -beep- on a -beep- sandwich with -beep- on top! This is one of the longest pieces of crap I have written yet. Eh, whatever. **

**Liked it? Thought it was crud? Too many cuss words? Fanfiction writers like to know this stuff! **

**Review and get a soda pop!  
**


	4. Chapter IV

**Moons: I swear to heck, Rachel's half the reason I'm getting this chapter out. I have a feeling that once school starts, it's going to be hell getting these chapters out. I don't like that feeling...  
**

* * *

"'Do you believe in God?'

Written on the bullet.

Say yes to pull the trigger."

_~Cassie, Flyleaf_

* * *

Sora was roughly thrown into a cell with no windows. "Chain him to the wall. He's dangerous."

"Hehe, dangerous. You have no idea..." Sora smirked as they chained his wrists to the wall.

The shinobi in charge ignored his comments and continued to order. "We'll leave him here and check on him in twenty-four hours. He'd probably have regained his sanity by then, if we're lucky."

They closed the door and locked him in. "Sir," a female shinobi spoke up, "Why'd he go insane in the first place?"

"Hmm..." The leader thought, "I'll have to guess that he had only two important thing before now. One: His brother, because he was the only family he had. Two: His religion, because he must have cared about it a lot to kill all those people. His brother rejected his twisted, evil religion and he was crushed. So he forgot about him and fully cared about his deity above anything else. He leaned on it for support.

The devil wouldn't help him, but he thinks he will. So his mind, expecting help, snaps and decides to be happy. Next thing you know, he's insane."

"So..." The girl took the information and analyzed it in her head, "He's driven insane from the loss of his brother and the false joy his deity has given him."

"He expects the evil being to come and help him. His mind is a mixture of hope and anger and joy and hatred. It has given him a thirst for revenge he will never get and it has driven him mad."

* * *

"Where am I?" Sora walked around in the middle of nowhere- literally. There was nothing anywhere except the ground. The ground itself was nothing but dirt. Everything else was a blank white.

"Where yah think?" A voice said. It sounded a lot like his own, except a little bit... darker.

The owner of the voice dropped down in front of Sora, appearing out of nowhere. He looked just like him too, except he seemed to have a more evil aura surrounding him. His face was harder and his skin paler. His lips, thinner. His hair, messier. Both of his ears were pointed and very long, reaching out to the sides. Finally, his eyes were heavily bloodshot with bags under them, like he hadn't slept in days.

Sora stared at the being in disbelieve. After a moment he looked skeptically at the person and said, "Ether I'm dreaming or I'm insane."

The copy grinned widely relieving fang-like teeth. "Congratulations smart ass. You're both."

Sora tilted his head in confusion. "Eh?"

The kid sighed, "Okay, you were insane-out there- but yah wore your ass out and fell asleep. So now you're in here, your mind. Your dreamland. You could even say you're subconscious I guess."

"Oh...kay?" Sora said, "... Wait! I was insane!?"

"Yep."

"I don't remember..."

"S'okay. Some people simply don't remember times they were insane. It's, uh, kinda like a blackout after you get stoned."

"Understandable, but who are you exactly?"

The boy never seemed to stop smiling as he talked, "I don't really have a name. Only other person I've met calls me Sora, 'cause I'm you, but I'm the other you so...ack! Okay I got it! Screw having a name! If yah want ta know who I am, I guess, I'm your conscience."

"Conscience?"

"Yah know what that is right?"

"You tell what's wrong and make me do good stuff?"

"Agh! I can tell yah _that's _wrong." The 'conscience' moaned, "My job is to keep yah on the right path doing the thing that you _should _be doin', not the thing that are just _good._" He spat out the last word like a nasty taboo.

"Alright, I think I get it Twin."

"Twin?"

"Well, you're like my evil twin in a way." Sora explained, "So I guess I'll name you Twin, 'cause we both can't be Sora."

"That's lame." 'Twin' told him, smile still forced on his face.

"Yeah, well it's lame that I'm stuck here asleep so you'll just have to live with it, _Twin._" Sora stretched out the name to rub it in.

Twin's smile was now very forced. Through gritted teeth he spat, "Way to mess with a guy. Why don't you go fuck yourself! That'll make me happy."

Sora's eyes became wide, white circles. "Uh, Twin? You told me...and you are me- in a way..."

Twin's face mirrored Sora's and his jaw fell to the ground. No longer anywhere near smiling he screamed to the heavens, "OH FUCK!!" He fell to the ground and wrapped his hands around his hair as though about to tear it out. "Ididntmeanitlikethat! Ididntmeanitlikethat! AH! Baka! Baka! Baka! Grr....Goddammit! I need to watch my words!"

"Twin! Get a hold of yourself! Knock it off!" Sora yelled. He pulled his alter-ego up off the ground. Twin regained some self control breathing in and out slowly. "S-sorry."

The pointed ears on Twin's head twitched a bit. "Ah, shit!"

"What's up?" Sora asked.

"I got the feeling. You're gonna be wakin' up soon. I gotta wrap this up quick.

"Anyhow, Jashin wants yah to know he's proud of yah."

Sora gasped, "Jashin-sama!? You serious!?"

Twin nodded, a sly half smile on his face again. The ears twitched more, moving up and down.

Thunder boomed as red clouds came in out of nowhere. Sora jumped at the noise. "Is this becoming a nightmare or something!?"

"Nah." Twin told him. Red rain fell from the sky and Twin stuck out his long tongue to catch. "This is a good dream getting better. I love a good rain of blood." The blood continued to drizzle down on them.

Sora caught some of the ruby-colored liquid in his hand. "Don't be a wimp. Drink up. You did spill all this blood in the last four years anyway."

Sora licked some of the stuff off his hand. Salty, yet strangely tasty.

"Jashin is proud of you for spilling all this blood," Twin told him, " Killing all those people. All for him. He's glad that you took those lives in his name, praying after each kill. He will be watching you closely. Now wake up to a surprise. It's a new day, Sora-chan."

* * *

Sora's eyes blinked open. He was chained up in a dark room with only a single light hovering above him. Why the hell was he chained up!?

Then he remembered Twin from the dream and his words. It was like a blackout. He must have lost his sanity earlier. Why he did, he didn't know yet. Sora was just relieved he could think clearly again.

_'But... Twin's words. How the hell do I know Twin even exists. He doesn't exist. I dreamed of him. Dreams aren't real. _

_'So...everything he said wasn't true. I really don't think Jashin is that proud of me. I know he's watching over me, but to be proud enough to invade dreams or send messengers into my dreams!? And the messenger just happens to be a creepy, badass version of me!? Get real, Sora!_

_... Nothing to do but wait I guess. Someone has to come eventually.'_

He waited in that cell for exactly ten hours, snoozing off every now and then. Then they came.

A brown-haired, dark-skinned, young man with a cloud forehead protector showing he was from Kumogakure no Sato (Village Hidden in the Clouds) entered the cell followed by three others that were like clones. Kage bushin (Shadow clones) perhaps?

"About time." Sora told them.

"I apologize," The shinobi replied, "but we weren't sure how long it would take for you to regain some of your sanity back."

"Some?"

"You are still insane, Sora-kun," The shinobi said, "for worshiping an evil god."

Sora sighed and hung his head. So now they were going to give him some brotherly, religious crap!? "For the love of Jashin-" he exclaimed under his breath. It was just loud enough for a kage bashin to hear. Sora felt a hard punch in the back of his head.

"Don't you ever say that!" The clone yelled, "Your deity isn't real!"

Sora looked up at the four again, "What!? Of course he's real!"

"He's not!" The young shinobi in the center- the real one- shouted. He regained control of his temper and said, "We need to ask you some questions."

Sora didn't reply. He did as he did when avoiding conversation he hated: stared at the floor making no eye contact.

"Where did you learn about Jashin?"

No answer.

"Answer me!" The man shouted. He grabbed Sora's almost undone ponytail and yanked it."Gah! I-it's none of your business!"

"Tell me!" His hair was yanked more. "I can keep going forever Sora!"

He switched to other questions as they went on. Were there any other Jashinists that he knew of? How long has he been worshiping this deity? Were there any areas where Jashinist gathered? How many people has he killed? Did he ever have any help? Did he have a supply of weapons?

Sora refused to give answers. His hair had become undone. His face wasn't anywhere near pretty. His left eye and bottom lip were starting to swell. He was bleeding and bruised all over.

"Alright here's the deal." The real shinobi said. "We're just trying to get you into heaven." said the one on Sora's right. "But you need redemption." Said the one on his left. The third clone next to the real one said, "It's very simple." The real shinobi finished for them.

"All you need to do is admit your deity isn't real."

Sora's eyes snapped open. He struggled to keep them down on the floor, away from the man's glare.

"I'm a very religious man actually." The shinobi admitted, "I can help you onto the right path. You can come to me to Kumogakure. Please, Sora-kun. Please accept my offer and abandon your Jashin." Sora felt a hand on his cheek. The shinobi pulled his head up so that they could see each others' faces clearly.

The man was only a few years older than Ichigo. He had noticeably, dark brown skin. His hair was a lighter brown and grew out in spikes in the back of his head. His eyes were the same shade of brown. They were small and had no pupils.

Admit Jashin wasn't real? Could he do that? He cursed himself and his miserable luck. He felt like a child in a fight against a big powerful adult. Hell, he still was a child! Still as stupid as an eight year old.

_"Can you tell me more about Jashin, please?"_

Those words popped into his head. They had come out of his mouth four years ago. His soft voice continued.

_"Can you show me how we know he exists?"_

He smiled a little and mouthed Brom's words.

_"You've seen the proof yourself."_

And it was true, but now he hadn't just seen the truth_. _He had _felt_ it! It was truly his nature to kill. Why reject it?

"I can see you have a troubled mind." The man continued, unaware of Sora's thoughts. "Join me and we'll help you. I'll help you-"

"SHUT UP! _SHUT UP!_" Sora screeched at the top of his lungs. He pulled his head away from the man's hand. "First the lady, then the mean boss, then everyone who got in my way!" His eyes were shaking as he stared back at his torturer. "I spilled their blood and killed them all in Jashin's name! And it felt so damn good! I'll never admit he doesn't exist! Never!"

The shinobi stared, speechless. Then he sighed and made his kage bushin disappear. To his relief, Sora was still sane. He flung his hand out and slapped the boy. He drew a knife and jammed it into Sora's right shoulder. Sora screamed out in pain. Blood poured out of the wound.

"Admit it!" The shinobi yelled, "Admit that you're wrong! You felt _nothing_!" He pulled the knife along the skin down his arm, deepening the cut.

"Grr..." Sora squeezed his eyes shut trying to keep from crying out, "Damn you bastard!"

The shinobi slashed at helpless Sora. Sora stayed true to his deity, but that didn't stop the pain. His entire right arm was covered in blood! There was a large puddle of it growing beneath him.

Sora couldn't take much more! He was now crying because of the pain. The torturer swung his blade across Sora's left wrist. His left arm was free of chains, but not of this new pain!

His left hand had come clean off!

Sora screamed out loud. The man didn't stop. He swung again.

He entire right arm came off!

The useless limb fell down, reduced to a load of dead flesh and blood.

Sora screamed again. _'I can't do this!' _He shouted in his mind. _'No one else is here to see me cry! No one can here me scream! No one except that son of a bitch! I'm damned to die here!'_

"You can still save yourself." The shinobi told him. He put his hand back on the bruised cheek.

_'Stay away from me...'_

"This is your last chance though." He warned, pulling Sora's head up. "If you don't take my offer, I'll kill you here and now."

_'Stay away from me!'_

Sora felt so... helpless! His left hand and his right arm: gone! He couldn't think.

Then someone or something thought him. There was no voice in his head. The words just came to him as though they were out of a book.

**_I can see you're suffering through much pain. You were warned about this when you made your vows._**

"I know." Sora whispered.

**_You believe that you deity can help you still?_**

Sora nodded. The torturer looked at him curiously and let his hand fall, expecting that he was finally broken.

**_Why?_**

"I've seen the proof with my own eyes." Sora whispered so softly only he could hear. "Humans are evil, all of them. Even the kind monks allow people like this to do their dirty work. Jashin knows that. He knows the limits and rules that should be set for that, but still supports it. He wants to spread death and chaos. No, _we _want to spread death and chaos."

_**So you are willing to kill anyone for him?**_

"And more."

Sora realized just then that the tables had turned. The chains had been attached to his wrists and now that they were cut that chains had fallen with the flesh. He was free!

Without warning he tackled the shinobi. The shinobi reacted quickly, taking the knife and driving it into his attacker's chest.

It hit the heart!

Sora fell to the ground. His breathing slowed until it couldn't go on. The shinobi left the body there. Before leaving, he told Sora the last words he heard. "Burn in hell!"

The words in the Jashinist's head continued.

**_Your loyalty highly impresses me. I have very few supporters now, so I need your kind of help. You are very special Sora. You are blessed. _**

**_

* * *

_**The shinobi went up to the nearest man in religious uniform. "I failed to convert him and he choose death. Get rid of the body for me, please?"

"I'm on it." The man replied in a gruff voice. As he left, the shinobi turned around for a second look at him. This guy was huge! He had to duck down to keep his head from reaching the ceiling! The shinobi had never seen someone so big and weird. Then he decided he was being judgmental and he should be more respectful. After all, the man was a monk.

The 'monk' looked down in sorrow at Sora's body. He easily lifted Sora up and slung him over his shoulder. He brought him outside the monk's temple, then outside the city.

It was there that he lifted Sora's body up and felt around his neck. His eyes widened.

In a hurry, he cut his palm and pressed it against the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu! (summoning technique)"

An armored animal appeared before him. The animal stripped off his metal so that he only wore a steal helmet that covered all of his head except for the eyes and mussel. The leftover armor disappeared in a poof of smoke.

The man laid Sora down on the golden-brown fur. Together the three left the Stone country.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Ichigo-san. There was nothing we could do."

Tears stung Ichigo's eyes. "I know that." he said to the cloud shinobi with him. "Sora looked impossible to control. Su-suicide would have been very easy." his throat was dry and his words came out in a hurry. "It's just hard to believe he's gone..."

* * *

**Moons: ... I'm a cruel person. But if this didn't happen, majority of the story won't happen and the title won't exist for future reasons. **

**So, liked it? Didn't like it? Think Flyleaf rocks? Review and get a soda pop!  
**


	5. Chapter V

**Moons:** **-sigh- School will be starting soon. Is it just me, or is all the back-to-school shopping worse than the actual going to school? I don't know, I just find shopping very annoying. Also, all those separate areas in stores reserved for school supplies that all colorful and filled with crayons and shiz kinda scream 'Summer's ending! Haha!' DX  
**

_

* * *

_

Hold my hand in the dark street for if you do I know that I'll be safe.  
Even if I'm far away and alone I can be sure that you'll find me there.  
This I know. You draw me close for a while, so quiet.  
You tell me everything. If I forget what you say  
then you'll come to me and tell me again. Yes you'd tell me once again.  
But what happens when I know it all, then what should I do after that?  
What then?

_~Misa no Uta (Misa's Song), Death Note_

_

* * *

'Breathe....damn it, breathe!'_

Air zoomed back into his lungs. His mouth opened widely, taking a deep breath to keep him alive. His eyes haven't opened yet. He was so tired. He just wanted to sleep.

_'No! Wake up! Prove you're not dead!'_

He ignored his thoughts. The eyes stayed shut. He felt alive enough. He could tell he was slanted, facing downhill perhaps. He could feel around. He wasn't wearing a shirt and he had bandages around his chest. He was laying down on something soft. It felt strange, not like a carpet or bed. It wasn't that smooth.

He just barely opened his eyes. It was brown. Fur? He reached out his hand to catch it-

_'Oh god! I don't have a hand! No hand on ether arm! My whole right arm's gone too!'_

His eyes opened fully and confirmed the fear. The left hand was gone at the wrist. He couldn't see any part of his right arm. He looked down and realized that about half his shoulder had gone with it. Both ends were covered by a wrapping of bandages.

"Shit...!"

"What's wrong?"

The boy leaped forward at the new voice. It was unknown to him; it sounded deep and knowledgeable.

He was now laying facedown on wild grass. He was defiantly on a hill, but that wasn't important now.

He rolled himself over. A massive grizzly bear towered above him. It seemed much bigger than it actually was due to his current position. A metal mask cover most of it's head. He started hyperventilating a little. He didn't believe he stood a chance against that thing.

The bear turned it's head in a confused manor. "Oh, did I scare you, Sora-kun?"

"How the hell could you not freak me out?! I wake up _on top_ of you! And _how the hell did you know my name!?" _Sora screeched.

"Calm down!" The bear just barely raised his voice. "Someone told me your name. And you should be resting. You have no idea how lucky you are to be alive now."

The bear took some steps back. "Now just relax-"

"How the hell do you expect me to relax!? A talking bear-"

**"GGGGRRRAAAAAWWWW!!!"**

Sora jumped again. The bear's roar ended and he sighed, "Forget me. There's someone else you should see."

He turned his armored head downhill. At the bottom of the hill there was a river. A massive figure stood at river's edge, gazing into the waters lost in thought. _'At least he's human.' _Sora thought, relieved.

He made his way down the hill to the man, "Oi! Who are you!?"

The man remained silent. "What's up with you?" Sora asked when he didn't get an answer.

The giant of a man sighed, "Two days..."

"Huh?"

"If I had been just two days earlier," He continued, "I could've saved yah." He slowly turned his head to look at Sora. The face looked so much like Sora had seen it before. He thought back, people he knew, people he was supposed to remember. The torturer's face showed up, but he quickly shook it out. Then,

"Brom...?"

Brom smiled, "It's good to see yah after all these years, Sora-kun. I'm amazed yah still recognize me. That's great!" His face hadn't aged a bit. His beard was shaved off, but other than that he was exactly the same as he was four years ago.

Sora fell down again. "It is you..."

"I promised I'd come back, didn't I? I just wish I wasn't so late."

Sora just stared speechless at Brom, like he was still taking it all in. "I'm sorry it took me so long. I promise I'll teach yah all about Jashin-sama. But first, you must have some questions. I'll let you ask one, then me ask you, and so on. You deserve some answers, and I'm a little curious myself. Go ahead and go first."

Sora finally snapped back to reality. "Um, yeah? Who was the bear? And how did he know me?"

"Kanemaru. He's really a softy, believe me. The bears can be summoned after you sign their scroll of agreement or whatever, but they call themselves 'noble and honorable warriors'. Real goody-goodies. Luckily, Kanemaru believes I'm good enough and is loyal to me. Not much of a killer, but he comes in handy. I can summon him when ever I need him.

"When I found you for example. He carried you out of the country for me."

"I'll have to thank him for that later. That reminds me." He bowed his head respectfully. "I can't thank you for getting me out of there."

"I just wish I was sooner. It would have made a huge difference."

"No kidding." Sora said quietly, "Your turn to ask a question."

"Alright then." Brom replied. "Do you know why you're not dead?"

"Er, I'm lucky I guess."

Brom shook his head no. "Lucky is right, but lucks not enough to keep you alive." He looked the kid in the eyes. "Immortality."

"Immortality? Can that even exist!? It's a myth stupid shinobi warloads go after!"

"Wrong." Brom told him, "Sora, you're an immortal."

"I'm a-" Sora stopped mid-sentence. "That's crazy!" He snapped, "Immorality's a myth! You honestly believe that people can't be killed!? That _I _can't be killed!"

"How does one get stabbed in the heart and lose most of his blood and still survive to stand before me today?" Brom asked.

"What are you saying...?"

"You got your heart run through with a blade. I found you flat on the ground, not moving. I took your body out of the country, but then I felt around your neck. You had a pulse. How could you have a pulse without a beating heart?"

At that question, he shoved Sora's chest. Sora cried out in pain.. There was sharp pain in that area.

"I- I-"

"Don't you remember Sora?" Brom asked, "It looked a lot like you were tortured."

"Torture...!"

_"Waz the matter Sora-chan~?"_ He looked to his side and saw himself. _'Twin!?' "You can't remember the torture~?" _The double slurred.

_'Stay away from me!_

_"I can help you-"_

_Stay away from me!_

_He charged. The blade came forward and into his chest.'_

Sora gasped as it came back to him. "I died!" He whispered, "Dear God, I died!"

"It's alright Sora." Brom told him.

_"Yeah Sora-chan~" _Twin spoke from right next to him. He leaned closer so he was right next to Sora's ear. _"It's alright. Hehe, you can remember his face?"_

_The face was dark-toned and strong-looking. He was in his mid-twenties. He had light brown hair spiked up in the back. He had small brown eyes that were the same shade as his hair. _

"I'll never forget his face." Sora said aloud, to both Brom and Twin. "Cause when I see him again, I'm going to know everything about Jashin-sama and I'm going to give him the most painful death possible."

He looked in the river. His refection stared back at him. Slowly the reflection shifted and burred at small details until his saw his brother. "Ichigo deserves the same fate." He continued, "He stabbed me in the back like that without even giving Jashin a chance. He just saw one kill and turned me in." His voice was dark. "I'm kill that perverted hypocrite and make him suffer." He stared back at the reflection. He hated the sight, the family resemblance between them.

Twin snickered as he faded to nothing beside Sora. The Ichigo in the water blurred and slowly reappeared as Twin smiling back at him with fangs. "Sora?" Sora blinked and he was staring back at his reflection. "Y-yeah Brom?"

"It's okay to be immortal. Hell, it's the greatest blessing you can receive! You're immune to death!"

"... I feel like a freak." _'Seeing things that aren't real'_ Sora added to himself.

"Immortality had nothing to do with that. They saw you as a freak just for worshiping Jashin-sama." Brom pointed out. "Hmm... guess that makes me a freak too. I'm also immortal."

"You are!?"

Brom smiled softly. "If I wasn't, I would died over ninety years ago."

"Ninety!? But you look like you're, i don't know, thirty years old at most!"

"Oh, there's so much for yah to learn." Brom sighed, "For starters, immortals age normally until they become er, uh... about twenty-five or so. Then it slows way down. I don't know how much, but a lot. I was always younger than I looked, but- haha- this kind of youth is insane!"

Sora stared at the other immortal wide-eyed and said nothing.

"Sora," Brom became serious again. "When did you go through the ritual?"

"Ritual?" Sora thought back. What ritual? "I went through it with you, remember?"

"You did?"

"Yeah, when I was eight and we first met. I made my vows to Jashin. Don't you remember?"

Brom thought for a bit before saying, "Yeah. Yeah, I remember that. My bad." _'It's not right. It makes no sense...'_

"You want to know how to kill the proper way?" He asked. Sora nodded, yes. "Alright, come on." Brom stood up. "Oh," He added, "I guess I'm your teacher now. So call me Sempai, okay?"

"Alright. Brom-sempai."

Before following him, Sora took one last look at the reflection in the water. It was just his imagination, he told himself. There was no Twin. Nothing.

* * *

With help, Sora had managed to get a new shirt and red jacket- a small gift from Brom- on. The jacket had to be fully zipped or the right side of it would fall off what remained of his shoulder. The river was miles behind them now. They were in the forest and Brom was sacrificing.

Sora took in everything he saw in his head. First Brom cut his arm and let the blood fall to the ground. He scraped the blood around with his foot and formed Jashin's circle. He took the man's blood and licked it. His skin was now a creepy black. White markings ran across his face in a skull pattern, and came down his limbs like bones. When he stood on top of Jashin's circle and stabbed himself, the man was injured too! When he cut himself, both him and the man bled!

The man, Brom's victim, was on the ground trying to hold himself up. It was failing. He was a shinobi with a leaf headband attached to a bandanna around his head. A quick stab with the katana in the leg with a few twists of it made the nameless shinobi fall over flat. "How's it feel down there!?" Brom laughed. The leaf shinobi made a whimpering sound. "Haha. That so? Well I've had my fun. Time to end it."

He put the sword up to his chest. "See yah in the afterlife- _not_!" The katana went through the chest. The leaf shinobi never moved again.

"It's okay Sora. He's dead." Brom called. He laid himself flat. "Tell me when the thirty minutes are up."

Sora jumped down from the tree he had been hiding in. After the half hour, Brom's black and white color faded to his normal tan. "You're done. What was that?!" He asked, "It was amazing!"

"Jujutsu: Shiji Hyoketsu (Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood)." Brom answered.

He explained, "It's a jutsu used to kill in the Jashin way."

"-But I'm not a shinobi." Sora interrupted.

"You don't need much training to learn it." Brom continued, "Basically, it turns you into a living voodoo doll. You ingest the target's blood and your skin transforms to resemble a skeleton. As long as you stay on Jashin's symbol that you put on the ground with your own blood, you'll be unstoppable."

"So why'd you put your self through all that pain? It didn't really seem like you had to do that."

"It's entertaining to feel the pain they go through. It's as simple as that."

"Doesn't seem that simple."

"You'll think differently once you get used to it."

He pressed his palm on the ground and summoned Kanemaru to his side. "Yes?" The bear asked. He was in full armor this time. It covered not just his head, but his entire body. "Before I attacked him, this ninja sent out a message calling for help. I'm surprised they haven't shown up yet, but if they do guard Sora." Brom ordered the bear.

"Hai!" Kanemaru said moving closer to the kid.

"What!? I-... yeah, I get it. No hands. Whatever." Sora groaned.

"You know what. I change my mind. You two go ahead without me." Brom said, "I'll catch up. Kanemaru, you know the destination."

"I remember it." Kanemaru said, "Come on Sora, this way." Sora shrugged and asked, "Where is the destination exactly?"

Kanemaru answered, "Yukigakure (Village Hidden in the Snow)"

* * *

**Moons: -looks over chapter- This is probably the most boring piece of crap I've ever written. -thinks back- Okay, there have been more boring, but fact is this is most likely the worst chapter yet. It's more of an explanation chapter than action chapter. I promise there shall be action in chapter 6. ^^**

**So, not bad? Not good? Lobster? Review and you get magical soda pop! You know you want it: It's free!  
**


	6. Chapter VI

**Moons: Part of the reason this took a while? Fanfiction (or my computer, i don't know)was screwing with me!  
**

**Fanfiction: "Sorry, you have to be logged in to access this page. Login blab blab bla"**

**Moons: Motha (censor)!!! I am logged in! How could I be on that last page if I wasn't!?**

**So yeah, I was randomly logged out twice while I was working on this (and my profile) so I lost a lot of stuff I worked on typing for a long time when I pressed that save button and I had to retype it. But it's out now. I hope this makes up for the disappointment called Ch. 5  
**

* * *

"Common sense? Worthless things like that, I would not have as long as I can remember."

_~Zaraki Kenpatchi, Bleach_

_

* * *

_

After a while of walking, Sora spoke up.

"Yo, Kanemaru?" "Yes?"

"You know we're both... evil, right? Me and Brom-sempai?"

"I'm well aware of that." Kanemaru replied. "I know what you're thinking. I'm a good person as well as a warrior-"

"I didn't say or think that." Sora interrupted, "Hell, I barely know anything about you."

"Oh," The bear spoke, embarrassed. "Anyway, I am a good person deep down so I can't say I agree with your religion. But Brom-dono is my friend and I respect him. That's why I walk with a villain such as him. I'll always remain loyal to him."

* * *

_Setting: Years ago...._

"Kanemaru! Help me!" Terrified shinobi was shaking with more fear than the young warrior had ever seen him in before. "Kanemaru!" The masked shinobi yelled again. His arm and both of his legs were bleeding heavily. It took Kanemaru a second to realize his master had summoned him to a battle in a forest.

Kanemaru looked at the attacker. A large, young man holding a katana was standing on a weird symbol on the ground. His skin was black and white giving him the appearance of a skeleton. "It's too late to save him." The man said, "He's going to die no matter what you do."

"Do something Kanemaru!" The shinobi screamed, tears stinging his eyes "Sa-" He choked. Blood appeared on his chest. Kanemaru's eyes widened. His master fell forward dead. The murderer laughed softly, like a low chuckle. Next thing he knew, he was cracking up insanely. He walked up to the corpse and snatched the summoning scroll for bears off of his back of the body.

Kanemaru backed off slowly. He was still a cub barely in his armor. Surely he wouldn't stand a chance. Without bothering to look back, he ran. He ran like hell.

It began to rain above him. Kanemaru slid to a stop by a tree and hid beneath it's roots. He buried himself as far as he could go and stayed there. He didn't know how long he stayed there for. The next thing he knew, he felt a cold hand on his fur.

He jumped. Firm hands grabbed him and held him. Kanemaru struggled, but couldn't bread free. "I'm not gonna hurt you, dammit!" The man holding him grunted. Kanemaru instantly recognized the voice.

The cub stopped squirming for a second and stammered, "Wh-what do you mean you- you wouldn't hurt me!? You killed that human didn't you!?"

"I don't have to kill animals." The man said, "And personally, he wasn't that great of a guy."

"Huh?"

"He couldn't have seriously expected a whelp like you to be able to stand a chance against me. He only summoned yah because he didn't want to go down alone. He wanted you to die as well."

"He-he!? I- he won't!"

"He would." The man said showing no emotion, "Think about it. You look like yah just gained ability to fight."

"I- I did." Kanemaru hated the truth, but he was wise even at a young age and knew he had to accept it.

The man put Kanemaru back on the ground and held out his hand. "Brom." Kanemaru put his paw in the hand. "Kanemaru." Brom smiled. "You need more experience, but eventually you'll be good enough to maybe fight at my side."

He reached into a large coat he wore. "So Kanemaru," He took out the summoning scroll carried by his victim. "How do I work this thing?" "You sign your name in blood on the scroll." Kanemaru explained. "That will make a contract that will let you be able to summon bears. But to summon us, you'll have to give blood and some off your chakra. More chakra for a more powerful bear. The hand seals are Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram. Then put you put your palm on the ground and force the chakra out to summon."

"Uh huh. Boar...Dog...Bird...Monkey...Ram" Brom muttered. He opened up the scroll and found the next blank area on the page. He held out his finger. "Do me a favor?" Kanemaru leaned forward and bit the finger causing it to bleed. "Thanks." He wrote down his name on the scroll and closed it up.

He quickly stuffed the scroll back into his coat and glared around. "Brom?" "Quiet. Someone's coming." He picked the bear cub up and ran off.

A man attacked them before they could escape. He pushed Brom, knocking him to the ground. He ran up and scoped up Kanemaru. Kanemaru wore a helmet and armor on his back, but they didn't protect his neck. The man wrapped his fingers around it, prepared to snap it easily.

Brom pushed himself up. "Who the hell are you?! What do you want?"

The attacker had strange headgear with a mask and an unscratched waterfall headband. His eyes were stranger; they were red with green where the white should be. He introduced himself, "Kakuzu, shinobi of the Waterfall Village. That man you killed back there was my partner."

"Yeah, so."

"He had a summoning scroll with him. It's worth a lot of money."

Brom smirked, "You don't grieve for your partner and just go for the expensive item. I get it. You're a man who only cares about money."

"It's the most important thing."

"Cheap bastard, I assume you want this." Brom pulled out the summoning scroll. "What if I don't want to give it to you?"

"That's why I have this." Kakuzu tightened the grip on Kanemaru's neck, starting to choke him and ready to break the neck. Kanemaru looked over at Brom. Brom would save him, right?

Brom put the scroll down on the ground and drew his katana. "The cub first." Kakuzu loosened his grip and Kanemaru thought he was going to be let free.

Instead, Kakuzu flung the bear at full force into the nearest tree. "Kanemaru!" Brom gasped, rushing over. Kakuzu moved in a flash of speed, grabbing the scroll off the ground and running off.

Brom got down next to Kanemaru. Tears were stinging the cub's eyes. "It hurts." He said, his voice just above a whisper "It hurts." "Let me see, Kanemaru." Brom scanned Kanemaru's body and felt around a little bit.

"Your right hind leg is broken." He reported, "Nothing a little time wouldn't heal. I'm not sure you'll be able to walk though."

"I don't think I can." Kanemaru told him.

Brom sighed. "Alright, I'll carry you." He picked the cub up and put him on his massive shoulders. Kanemaru held on tightly with his front paws. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Brom replied.

"I thought you were evil." Kanemaru said.

"I am." Brom told him.

"B-but, I'm a warrior. I'm not a bad guy." Kanemaru panicked, fearing he might be thrown again or maybe worse. He didn't want to stay out here in the rain.

"Whatever." Brom grunted, "I'll still help you out, and who knows. Maybe you'll be just as bad as me someday or at least help me out in battle.

"Of course, I could just abandon yah out here in the rain." He added with a sick laugh. Kanemaru looked at the path ahead again. Not like he had much of a choice but to join him.

"I want to be able to carry you, when I'm stronger." He said, changing the subject from the gruesome thought of being left in the woods. "That's my new goal. To be able to carry you, like you're carrying me."

"Good luck with that." Brom commented dryly. He was not one for goal setting.

* * *

"I never became as heartless as him." Kanemaru continued his story, "However, Brom-dono continued to carry me around until my leg fully healed. Then I worked hard and tackled any shinobi who interfered with Brom-dono's...er... rituals at full force. As I grew up, I was able to learn to battle by using size and strength to my advantage. I was eventually able to throw fully grown men and crush ribs just by stepping on them and pressing down.

"Time went on and grew to respect Brom-dono more and more despite his religion. This did not please the bears. You see, Sora-kun, bears are noble creatures with strong hearts and great honor." Sora rolled his eyes at this part, but continued to listen. "They were infuriated at the idea that one of their kind had joined a man so evil. I pleaded to them. 'There are much more wicked foes out there.' I said, 'Brom is not a sinner and fights for nether greed nor pride.'

"They told me 'Brom fights with a lust for blood. He is still a sinner.' I was shocked. I roared that Brom was a holy man, the opposite of a sinner. They said 'Brom's deity is more of a Satan than savior. He is religious, but not a holy man.' Never the less, Brom had signed the scroll and had every right to summon us. The elders of the bears ordered that if a bear was summoned by him, he was forbidden to follow orders unless of the unlikely chance that it was for a good cause.

"I ignored their law. As consequence I lost all my respect among the bears and became an outcast. No one summons me anymore except Brom-dono."

"So what happened to the other dude?" Sora asked, "Kazuku or whatever."

"I don't know what became of him." Kanemaru replied. "I'm guessing he just sold the scroll and forgot about us. Now let's speed up. If we pick up the pace, we'll be at our destination by tomorrow."

"Whatever." Sora replied. His gaze was focused on the trees to his right.

A demon was staring back at him!

* * *

The demon or whatever it was didn't go away. It looked nothing like any animal Sora had ever seen. It had giant bat-like ears sticking out of it's freakishly small head. It glided from tree to tree landing on every couple of branches on all fours. The back feet were small paws while the front were three birdlike claws. Sora thought he saw wings every other glance, but they appeared to be a trick of light. It's thin layer fur was a fiery red color with dark stripes of black and orange on it's back and large ears.

Every time Sora blinked, the creature would become transparent and slowly regain it's color and form as he stared at it. '_It's not there.'_ He told himself. But it never went away. When exactly had it shown up, he was not sure. It kept stalking him. Kanemaru took no notice of the being. He didn't seem to know it was there.

Hours past sunset, Brom still had not returned to them. Kanemaru decided to take a break and rest in the forest until morning. As the bear drifted off to sleep, Sora remained wide awake staring at the demon.

It was lying on its stomach, blinking at Sora. The Jashinist got a good look at its eyes now. They had two black stripes going across as what he thought were pupils. The rest of the eye was orange.

"What are you?" He asked the creature.

The creature rolled onto its back and cocked its head. _"That can mean a lot of things."_ It said in an alien voice._ "If you are referring to my gender, I am neither male nor female so you may call me an it. If my name is what you seek, it is Nighro. If you ask my title, I am a guardian of the River Styx and guide to the path to Hell."_ Nighro kicked its hind legs in the air as it went on._ "I know you're a male, you go by the name of Sora, and you're an immortal serving under the evil spirit Jashin. I'm just curious; are you proud off your position?"_

"I kinda meant are you a demon?" Sora replied, ignoring the question.

Nighro growled softly, _"I suppose I am."_ It said flatly, _"My kind go by many titles such as devils and angels of death and reapers. So as I asked before, are you proud off your position?"_

"Of course I am." Sora told Nighro, "It is an honor to be immortal with Jashin-sama watching over me." His eyes moved from the demon to the ground. "So, did you by any chance come to take me to Hell?"

Nighro gave a hoot of laughter._ "Drag you down to Hell!? Haha! Oh, fuck no! You aren't going anytime soon! Haha... I just need to take a break every now in then. You're an entertaining person to watch, Sora-kun~."_

"I haven't done anything interesting." Sora said, confused.

_"Not yet~."_ Nighro slurred, _"Tell me Sora, when was the last time you killed someone?"_

"Dunno."

Nighro cocked its head in the direction of Kanemaru. _"What about 'im?"_

"Do animals even count as a sacrifice?"

_"If they have a soul, like this one, then yes. Jashin permits it."_

"I can't. Sempai would-"

_"Your sempai's not here."_ Nighro snickered. _"You can't go long without killing. You can't resist it._ He'll _make sure of it. You'll always be able to remember the last time you killed someone from this day on. Now do yourself a favor and kill him."_

"I don't know... I may get in some deep shit with Sempai."

_"Fine, think about it. I wouldn't bother you." _The four pupils in its eyes moved to its thin, sickly fur. _"I think I'll give myself a bath."_ It moved its mouth close to one of its lifted hind legs and stuck out a long tongue to lick it 'clean'.

Sora blinked and Nighro faded to nothing and slowly came back to view again. He didn't look at it anymore and sat down on the ground.

**_"Kill the bear."_**

Sora listened to the words in his head. Blood was rushing into his head, mostly to his eyes. They started to ache.

_**"You have to kill Sora! Kill the bear!"**_

_'How?'_

_**"You may have not noticed but the bear carries a kunai pouch."**_

Sora saw the pouch attached to Kanemaru's right, hind leg. _'I didn't notice until now. But how do I carry it?'_

_**"You have a mouth. Use it."**_

Sora smiled widely. He got down to one knee next to sleeping Kanemaru and opened the kunai pouch with his teeth. He lifted one up, tossed it up into the air, and caught it so it was sideways in his mouth.

Nighro stopped licking itself and examined Sora. _"This aught to be interesting. Isn't that right, Sora-Twin?"_

Twin jumped out of nowhere and landed next to Nighro. _"Yes, it is."_

_"I see your infamous grin." _Nighro noticed, putting a fanged smile of its own on. _"Tell me, is that you usual, everyday, insane grin or is there really something worth smiling about?"_

_"Oh this is worth it." _Sora's double assured.

_"Did it happen?!"_

_"Did he lose it?!"_

_"He did! He did lose his sanity!"_

_"Damn, I was hoping to see the show alone." _Nighro groaned, _"Sora-Twin I do not mind, but the threesome..."_

_"We're sorry." _The three childlike voices said altogether. _"We can stay out of sight if you want us to."_

_"I don't care. I just want you to keep your mouths shut."_

Kanemaru woke up. Someone was removing his armor. It felt like it was being kicked off by a boot. "Brom-dono?" He said with a little panic. The person didn't reply. He just continued his work. A piece of armor clashed onto the ground. The helmet was the only thing that remained on. "Sora-kun?"

* * *

Kanemaru had roared. He would only have roared in a real emergency. Brom ran at top speed to try and find him. He roared as loud as the bear, **"Kanemaru!!!" **His voice echoed through the forest. The bear came running to him in response. His armor was gone except for the helmet. There was a deep slash in his unprotected muzzle that reached from his nose to the metal of the helmet that was right beneath his eyes. It would probably scar him, but there were no other wounds. Just a few places where the fur was cut.

Sora came chasing after him. He jumped up and practically soared into the air. He came down with a leg outstretched to kick. Kanemaru got to his hind legs for a few seconds. Sora kicked his helmet right between the ears, forcing the bear down to all fours again. He leaped up and back-flipped to land perfectly on both feet.

The kid didn't look so sweet and innocent. His eyes were so bloodshot, there was more red than white. Dark rims had mysteriously started to appear under them. His expression seemed focused, even murderous, but nothing more. A kunai was clutched tightly by his jaw.

"Sora!? What the-" Before Brom could finish, he was knocked of balance by Sora headbutting his face. He took a few steps to regain the balance and put a hand over his now bloody nose.

_'How'd he get to be so skilled!? He's as strong, fast, and nimble as some of the strongest shinobi I've faced!' _

Sora was attacked by Kanemaru, but easily dodged. He came back and slashed at the bear with the kunai,

the laughter of the demons echoing in his ears, all he heard.

* * *

**Moons: Cut short, I'm sorry, but I just wanted to get this chapter done with. First I want to clear up a few things. **

**This story will mention canon characters like Kakuzu above ('cause I have to include the dude! He's so freakin' kickass!), but they won't have any actually point in the plot at all. I'm probably not going to use him again. OCs will do all of the work here.  
**

**The name Nighro was suggested by my sister Emily, so I have to thank her for that. It's not Japanese (I believe my sister said it was Spanish) but I don't really care. It sounds cool. If you tell me what Nighro means, I'll give you a prize (ice cream). Or you can get a soda pop by just reviewing.**

**You liked it? You didn't like it? You want to see more demons, or screw the demons and get more action? I'll happily take any suggestions, good or bad. But now, to the video games! XD  
**


	7. Chapter VII

**Moons: Okay, for those who don't know I have a DA account now (link on my profile). There I'll post the chapters of this story along with some of my crappy drawings of the characters (so far, it's only Sora). **

**Oh and a little (overdue) thank you to those who are actively reading this story. It's people like you who keep me going -hands out cookies- ^^  
**

* * *

That's right....God is created by humans. It's merely something that comes from the hands of men. In that case, what will bring wrath down upon us is not God, but probably "humans."

_~Bradley, Full Metal Alchemist_

* * *

"Damn..." Brom cursed. Sora still didn't look anywhere near ready to calm down and stop attacking. "I didn't want to resort to this, but-" He took a small flask made of clear glass out of one of his numerous pockets. It contained a violet liquid: animal poison. It would be enough to injure Sora. Just bring the kid down to his knees so he could slap some sense into him.

He opened the container and instantly a putrid smell entered the air. Brom dropped the container in disgust as soon as the scent was released. Kanemaru made a gagging sound, but Sora didn't seem to even notice the odor. He seemed to recognize the liquid as poison though.

Some of the poison had spilled onto the ground. Sora lowered the kunai and dipped it in. Brom shouted a warning to his bear, but it was too late. At an extreme speed, Sora had sliced the kunai through Kanemaru's right hind leg. Red and violet liquid dripped to the ground. Kanemaru roared in agony as the poison spread through his bloodstream.

Sure it would only injure Sora or Brom, but that was because they were humans. Kanemaru was an animal and would die if the poison spread far enough.

For some odd reason, Sora seemed satisfied. The demons whispered to him.

"_Good, good. Now listen." _He did so. "_There's a little boy not to far from you. He must have heard the screams. Go to your left and run that way until you find him. We'll guide you to him, and you _kill him!"

Brom didn't notice as Sora retreated. He got down to his knees next to the clasped bear. "It's just in the leg so far." Kanemaru reported, "No organs."

Brom breathed heavily. "I'm sorry." He said between breathes. He drew his katana and held it against the leg. There was a quick swing of the sword.

"**GGRRRAAAAAAAAAAWWW!!"**

And it was almost over. The leg had been cut off before the poison could spread beyond that point. Kanemaru became panting with shock. His leg was unattached. It laid next to him, never to move again. "Now... I know... how Sora-kun...felt." He said, between his own deep breathes.

"What happened to make Sora like that?"

"I don't know. I was sleeping, and he obtained a kunai. Then he was removing my armor, which is what woke me up. Then it was just a fight for my life."

"Damn..." Brom wrapped up the wound before more blood could spill out. "He's gone now. You stay and rest. There's no point in fighting three-legged. I'll take him."

* * *

Brom found a pair of broken glasses on the ground. He might be getting close. A few feet later, that proved true when he found a child with gray eyes staring at nothing. He was dead.

Not far from him there was Sora. His boots had been kicked off and his bare feet were bleeding. He had used them to scrap blood around on the ground to make Jashin's symbol. He was now laying on top of it. The kunai had by some miracle been shoved perfectly through his heart.

Brom gave him a light kick. Sora's eyes opened. They looked back at Brom normally. Just their normal light-blue color with no dark lines or blood. "Sempai!" Sora exclaimed, "You caught up!"

"Don't play stupid."

"Huh?"

Brom grabbed Sora by the collar of his shirt, ripped the kunai out of him, and pinned him against a tree. "Why the fuck did you attack us!?"

"Wh-what!?" Sora gasped. "What made you attack Kanemaru and me!?"

"I-I don't remember-"

"Don't give me that shit!" Brom spat coldly. He held the kunai up against the kid's throat and hissed, "You don't have amnesia and there was no one who could have cast genjutsu on you."

"I- I really don't! Honest, Sempai! Pl-"

"Try harder! Remember!"

Sora felt the metal of the kunai press against him and squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to remember. He began to hear them again. He heard "D-demons."

"Say that again?"

"Demons, Sempai... They- they told me to kill Kanemaru." He admitted. He heard their wicked laughter again. There were dozens of them now. Dozens of voices owned by monsters of Hell.

He gagged and spit up blood. His eyes snapped open and bulged out. Blood rushed out of his neck. Brom had slit his throat. He pressed the kunai lower against the upper part of his chest. "Don't give me bullshit like that." He said.

Blood gushed up into his mouth and Sora managed to just barely cry out. "I- I'm telling the truth-"

Brom ripped the upper part of the shirt, right below the collar, off using the kunai. He then flung Sora on to the ground. His body bounced up once from the impact, but he came to a hard stop. Blood shoot up out of his mouth and landed on his face. He splat the blood out and shouted, "It's true -cough cough-" He didn't go on. Brom walked over to him and stared down at him. The icy stare brought fear to Sora. He shut his eyes again.

A few flashes came back to him. He was attacking... He didn't know what. He thought further back. Neghro the demon was talking to him. Telling him...something.

"There was a demon, a freaky creature, it-"

"There are no such things as demons." Brom told him.

"But I saw it! I talked with it!" Sora yelled, his eyes still shut tight. "Please believe me! Sempai! Please! Please don't hurt me!"

Pain rushed into him. He screamed as his eyes jerked open.

"I don't like to be lied to, Sora." Brom told him, ignoring his screams. He dug the kunai deeper into the chest. "Give me bullshit like that again, and there will be consequences."

"It- It was just for Jashin-sama!" Sora cried out. Thinking back, it was technically true. "I needed someone to sacrifice to Jashin-sama! Kanemaru was the only one there!" The kunai stopped. Sora gasped for deep breathes as Brom stood up again.

"Don't ever attack Kanemaru again. He's still on our side. You have just a sacrificed that boy there. You won't need to again for a long while."

Around Sora, there were dozens of demons. They rested in trees and crawled on the ground and they laughed at him. Twin walked up to him. Compared to all the others, he seemed normal.

"_Listen closely Sora. Brom-sempai didn't believe you, did he? No, no, nobody believes in demons. He thinks you're crazy. And so will everyone else that hears about us. _

"Why?"

"_You know what a freak is? The boy who eats glue; the old man who yells at everyone who bends a blade of grass on his precious lawn; the young woman who claims she was raped just for attention; they are all sick and need help, but they're not the freaks. They don't even know what a freak is. _

"_Now you on the other hand, you see us. You're the only one who sees us. Your mind lets you, but no one else's will. No one else is gonna believe yah. You're the freak."_

Breathing heavily Sora promised, "I'm never, ever going to tell anyone about you again. Ever."

* * *

"I did that...!?" Sora stared at the missing limb.

Kanemaru glared at him. "Something was different about you." He explained. "You didn't speak and didn't seem to hear us. You were unaffected by anything we threw at you and fought with the skill of a shinobi. Your eyes were one of the scariest things about you. They were heavily bloodshot."

"Are they still-"

"No, they're normal now." Kanemaru said, "And they were normal before when I went to sleep. I fear there is something wrong with you."

_'You have no idea...' _ Sora thought sadly. He changed the subject and tilted his neck up, "How's it look."

Kanemaru examined where the throat was slit. "It stopped bleeding. You immortals are fast healers. You'll be all better in no time."

"Painful as fuckin' hell though." He said, carefully moving his head down. "What about the other one? It hurts just as bad, but could you check it out anyway?"

"It's exceptionally deep. It might leave a scar."

"Great..." Sora muttered. "So how long 'til we get there from here?"

"It's only an hour." Brom said. It was the first time he had spoken since they got back. He was sitting opposite of the other two. "By the way, it'll be better if we find separate places to stay when we're in towns. We may even have to separate every once in awhile between them."

"Wait what!? Why Sempai?"

"I don't want people finding out we're a team. Also I'm a wanted man. If they catch me they'll instantly catch you, unless we split up and only stay together on outskirts. We don't want them figuring out you're alive."

"Er... right. I understand Sempai."

The humans stood up and started to leave. Sora took the lead and Brom turned to look back. "I'm sorry you can't move on three legs. I'll summon you when I find a place for us to stay."

"I know you didn't say the whole reason why you and Sora are separated."

"What of it? The kid's kinda a freak, even by my standards. You should've heard him, spilling crap out about demons or some shit."

Sora gulped as he heard those lines. Brom didn't know he heard. Sora just ran ahead to be sure not to hear anything else.

"Is that the only reason he's a 'freak'?"

"Not really..."

"Why do you hurt him so?"

"Simple. He hurt you."

* * *

The cold stung his face. His feet sunk deep into the snow, soaking him. Iwagakure was so much warmer; he hated Yukigakure already.

"You're not from here."

Sora looked up from the ground to see a girl about ten feet from him. She had come quietly, a blue aura of chakra keeping her from sinking into the snow and leaving a mark. She had a brown outfit with a matching forehead protector with four dots on it: Snow shinobi.

"I'm not." He replied casually.

Her blonde hair flew into her face due to a strong gust of wind. She didn't seem to mind. "There's going to be a snow storm soon." She said, "If you don't get shelter, you'll freeze to death."

"That doesn't sound fun." Sora said, shivering.

"If you don't have shelter..." the girl started. She became shy and quiet.

"No, I don't..." Sora said.

"You can... come over to my place..."

"Thanks. Just don't get any ideas of a date-"

"Oh, no, No! The girl exclaimed quickly, "I'm not interested. Besides, you're a little young for me. Heh, heh..."She slapped a smile on her face and Sora sweatdropped.

"Whatever. I get it."

"Um, anyway, as a shinobi I can't just let you go." She pointed uphill to a path. "To get to my home, you follow that path and you'll reach a small subdivision." A gust of wind came in stronger than the last. "We better go."

"Thanks. I'm Sora by the way."

"Natsuki."

* * *

The wind was now blowing like crazy. Natsuki led Sora over to the door to her small house. They quickly escaped into the warmth inside. "Mum, I'm home." She called.

"Oh thank God!" A woman's voice slurred from the next room. "I'm starving an' I've had this major headache an'"

"I'm on it." She called again. She opened a cabnet and got out some food. "Instant ramen okay? It's the quickest thing we got."

"Sure, whatever." the women said. Sora peeked into the next room to see her laying in bed. The room was a mess. Soda pop cans, empty bottle, crumbled up papers, and other garbage littered the floor. A few dirty dishes were pilled up on the bedside dresser next to an ashtray. The blonde woman who had to be Natsuki's mother was tucked halfway under the covers, her pajamas still on and a cigarette in her mouth. She was staring at the ceiling, her fingers massaging her forehead.

Natsuki pushed him aside gently. "I got your dinner, Mum." She handed her a cup filled with the fresh noodles.

"Thanks, 'Suki hun." She glanced over to the door and saw Sora. "'Suki?"

"Oh, he's Sora. The storm was coming and he didn't have any shelter, so I gave him a place to stay."

The mother nodded numbly and said, "So, Sora, help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Natsuki-chan will help you with what'cha need. And number one rule," her voice became sharp, "You hurt her, I'll get outta this bed and kick your ass, got it?!"

"Er, yes ma'am."

"Good. Any questions for me?"

"I dunno. How old are you?"

"Thirty-two. Natsuki's thirteen. Now can I speak with her for a second? Alone?"

"Oh, yeah sure." Sora left with a last glance at Natsuki's pale face hidden by her hair.

He sat in the ktichen, bored. He couldn't eat without hands. His stomach growled as he looked over at the fruit bowl. He did his best to ignore it and thought about Natsuki instead.

He found it odd that she didn't notice his disability yet. His sleeves were long enough to cover where his hands should have been, but he thought she would have seen by now. Maybe she just wasn't paying enough attention to him.

There was also her parents. He did the math and Natsuki would have born when her mom was nineteen or maybe eighteen. He might just be judgmental, but that just seemed really young to be a parent to him. Also if mothers were this protective, what about fathers? How would her _dad _react to her bringing a boy in the house? He didn't know, never having known his own parents.

Natsuki came out, her mom shuffling beside her. She pushed the hair out of her daughter's face muttering, "People wanna see your face."

Natsuki's face was still pale without the blonde hair. It was also sharp and showed she was older than Sora even though she was smaller in size. A small set of pointed bangs covered her headband. The rest of her hair was behind her back and went down past her shoulder blades. Also now, her eyes showed clearly. They were a deep blue. She had probably gotten them from her mother, whose eyes were a dimmer gray-blue from the cigarette smoke.

The mom went down the hall to the bathroom, leaving Sora and Natsuki alone. "So... I'm guessing she thinks I'm your secrete boyfriend."

"Er... yeah." Natsuki blushed a bit, "She didn't fully believe me and said if I was lying whatever I do, don't sleep with-"

Sora gaged. "I'm sorry!" Natsuki exclaimed, "I get it! You don't wanna-"

Sora swallowed what he believed to be vomit and said "No offense, but your mom is _sick!" _

The redness in Natsuki's face grew. "Kinda..."

"Your dad's better right? Where is he?"

"My parents got divorced years ago. I haven't seen my dad since."

"Thank Jashin!" Sora said, clasping back on the chair. Before Natsuki could ask who Jashin was he asked, "Why does your mom assume something like that!? Can't she tell we're _way_ too young!?" Natsuki shrugged.

"I think she thought you were older than you look. Fifteen or something like that. She's had a fair share of stupid ideas like that. She might as well forget it. Besides, you nearly puked at the idea and no guy's going to... never mind."

"Oh," Sora glance down for a second, "It didn't have anything to do with you. It was just the idea; the whole gross, disgusting 'doing it' part. I'm only frigging twelve here and I think the it's still going to be gross even when I'm twenty-five or something. I'm chaste anyway."

"Er... thanks." Natsuki replied dryly. "For that... talk. You're chaste?"

"Yep."

"So you're a religious type?"

"Yeah. So what?"

"I'm an atheist." Sora looked up at her like she had just called him out, "What?"

"There's lots of scientific evidence out there- evolution, the big bang, the multiverses- all proving more and more that there is no almighty god or deity out there." Natsuki informed him. "I believe that long ago people needed explanations, so they created deities to do that. Some guy made a Bible to put it into detail, and everyone believed it. Now science is explaining. The deities are made up to answer humans questions and now we are simply finding the right answers."

"Bull. Shit." Sora shot at her.

"Alright, I'm sorry." Natsuki said defensively. "That's just what I think. I'm a real world person. I just wonder... what can your religion prove that can't be proven by anything else?"

"What happens when you die." Sora answered. Natsuki looked at him sceptically, "That isn't really proof."

"You'll see the proof when you die." Sora said glaring darkly. They stayed silent for a moment, then,

***_growl, moan...*_**

"You sound starved. Aren't you going to eat?"

"You still haven't noticed?!" He snapped.

"What?"

"I can't eat without hands!" He put his left arm in front of her and shifted the sleeve up to revile the stub he had at the end. Natsuki jumped and covered her mouth to hide her gasp.

"I-I'm- I'm sorry!" She stuttered. Sora cooled back down. "Not your fault... You're not the sick bastard who did this."

"I-I noticed your right arm -it's completely limp at the sleeve- but they took your other hand too!" She said quietly. "... Yeah, that'll make eating difficult."

"No shit." Sora moaned, edging the sleeve back down.

"Do you, um, want some help eating?" Natsuki offered.

"You kidding?! I need help doing everything now!" He ranted, annoyed, before adding, "I mean, whatever. Just give my something that's not a drink."

"Drink?"

"Don't ask why."

"Uh... okay." The blonde pulled up the long sleeves to her sweater and made two sandwiches. Sora stared hungrily at the food as she worked. "You don't get to eat very much, do you?"

"Hey, it's embarrassing when you have to ask for help for every friggin' little thing!" He retorted.

_'Wish my mum was like that._' Natsuki sighed in her head, _'I do everything around here...'_

It was just a simple peanut butter with jelly, but by the way Sora was drooling over it it could have been Thanksgiving turkey. Natsuki held up the food for him and he bit and tore into it like an animal. Natsuki lost her hold on it, but Sora held it in his jaw.

"-'otit"

"... What?"

Sora opened his mouth to repeat himself, dropping the sandwich in the process. The both dived for the sandwich, crashing to each other, starting a fury of panic and cussing.

It was at that moment Natsuki's mother emerged from the bathroom. And what a sight it was.

Both were on the floor, on top of each other, and just by bad luck Sora's right, armless sleeve had flung so it rested on Natsuki's chest- not that the mother knew it was armless. _"It's not what it looks like!"_

"You know what..." The mother spoke, "I have such a headache, as long as you two aren't fucking I don't care. So, just, just screw it. I'm leaving." She shuffled back into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

"Some mom." Sora commented dryly. Natsuki didn't reply. She just got up from the floor and helped Sora up to his own feet. "Er... once the storm lightens up, I need to show you something."

* * *

Later,

Natsuki opened the doors to the shed behind her house. "This is my escape."

The room was filled with warmth. There was a furnace for melting metal in the corner. Various metal traps, knifes, blades, tools, and other items hung from a wall. The other wall was covered with drawings, sketches, and notes. They were parts of detailed blueprints of puppets. In the corner opposite of the furnace, there was a pill of carefully carved wood into various shapes. Next to them was a pile of metals that Sora couldn't identify. In another corner was a metal puppet resembling a dog or wolf creature.

Natsuki pulled off her sweater so she was in a brown shirt. "Any loose or long clothing can get easily catch on fire in here." She explained, putting her hair up, "Same with hair, but yours isn't as long as mine. You should be fine." She walked up to the wall of metal and took down an object.

"I've always had sorta a talent with metal. I'm a puppeteer so it worked for me. I discovered this some years ago."

She held up a metal hand. "They call it automail. It allows people who've lost lost limbs to replace them. I was collecting them to study, but I think you need it more."

* * *

**Moons: It's times like this when I think about Deidara-san and feel sorry for him not because he died, but because he had to go without hands. The more I wrote these chapters, the more I thought about how tough it is without hands. You depend on them for just about everything. For example, you wanna know why Sora said no drinks? You know how drinks tend to go straight through you? :X I'm not going beyond that. **

**Also, I know I said something like this after Ch 1 but I'll repeat myself. This story isn't me voicing my views of the world in anyway! Different people think differently, so that's how it's going to be in the story. I'm not saying that Natsuki's right, but I'm not saying that about Sora ether. I'm going to try and be neutral.  
**

**So, what'cha think? Like it? Don't like it? I took Natsuki's mom too far, didn't I? Review and get a soda.  
**


	8. Chapter VIII

**Moons: I'm so sorry this took quite a while to get out. I hit many roadblocks while typing this, and I didn't really go as far in the plot as I originally planned. Also, there were many distractions I am guilty of falling for. So again, sorry to keep you waiting. **

**I'll like to dedicate this chapter to anyone who has taught me science at any point for giving me a basic idea about how automail could work (even though that wasn't what you _wanted _me to learn), wikipedia for helping me fill in a few blanks, and my dad for making me watch a tv special for the real-world mechanical arms. Sadly, none of you will ever read this (hopefully on my dad).  
**

* * *

It's true, we're all a little insane.  
But it's so clear, now that I'm unchained.  
Fear is only in our minds, taking over all the time.  
Fear is only in our minds but it's taking over all the time.

_~Sweet Sa__crifice__, Evanescence _

_

* * *

_

Natsuki held the left hand up against the end of Sora's arm. "I can't honestly say that I've done this before." She warned, "I could damage you for all I know."

"Don't talk to me like I'm one of your puppets." Sora snapped, "Just do it."

Natsuki nodded in response and wrapped her arm around the wrist. Her light-blue chakra shot out of her hand. It sunk under Sora's skin and began to circle around his blood veins. He moaned quietly. Natsuki muttered a small apology and continued her work without pause. The chakra found the nerves system in the joint. It combined with the miniature magnets in the automail and a small spark went off inside him. Sora yelped. Natsuki flinched but didn't stop her transfer of energy.

And it was over. Both were starting to sweat from exhaustion. "Did... it work?" Natsuki asked, removing her hand. Sora moved his own up. His own!

It didn't fall off. He gave the fingers a twitch. They moved! He began laughing. "Haha, oh my Jashin! Haha! It worked!"

He continued to laugh, forgetting the girl was even there. She opened her mouth, but didn't speak as Sora continued to laugh insanely. He slowed it down and turned to look at her. He flashed a smile so terrifying to her, the teeth could have fanged.

"It's of perfect quality." He told her, eyes shaking slightly. "Make me another one!"

"Wh-what?" The words were so quiet, Sora almost didn't hear them. He grabbed Natsuki by her neck and forced her against a wall. A small scream escaped her throat. He looked at one of the many drawings pinned up next to her.

"'Ultimate Metal-focused Puppet'," He read aloud. "You've started working on this already haven't you." It wasn't a question. She forced herself to nod yes anyway. "Then put your project on hold and make me an arm. A powerful one. One that'll make me obtain blood so I can just lick it off."

"... Al... Alright. Hai."

* * *

Natsuki kept to herself in the shed. Sora was outside, gawking at his new hand or something like he had done for hours. She meanwhile was designing his new left arm from scratch. She wasn't complaining.

She had always had an interest in metals. Even as a little girl, she logically saw them as the strongest. Material such as wood and stone would bend, snap, and break compared to metal. When she started her training as a puppetmaster in the academy, she had also studied metals. At the age of ten, she met her senseis' expectations by controlling a basic puppet with skill, but she also impressed herself by teaching herself to recognize and identify every commonly used metal on the periodic table.

She mastered the metals, learning their melting pointing, memorizing when they would rust and under what oxygen conditions, figuring out what metal scratched what. She spent hours watching masters build weapons- daggers, kunai, blades, swords, shuriken- using the metals and practiced on her own behind the adult's backs. There were many burns, but none that couldn't be healed and not one that wasn't worth it. She collected miscellaneous parts of puppets- all metal- and bended, altered, blended, mismatched, and combined them to form her first and -for now- only original puppet.

She didn't name it. She figured there wasn't any need to considering she would be the only one to ever work it. It was made to resemble a canine of some sort. The head had come from a wolf puppet that barred growling fangs. The rest was an assortment of parts and weapons and traps that could be activated or taken apart with just a shot of her chakra and a twitch of her fingers. It wasn't enough.

Natsuki wanted a puppet with a defensive system. The 'ultimate metal-focused puppet' she nicknamed it, but never planned on giving it an actual name. She had the blueprints drawn out. She had all the materials necessary. She had all the skills to build it. What she needed was time. That which her new "boyfriend" Sora denied her off. As if her mother wasn't bad enough....

His arm, however, was forced in her mind to be nothing more than an interesting challenge to take a break from her project. Natsuki had already made a rough-sketch blueprint of the automail. It was nothing too different than a puppet part. The only difference was the 'puppet part' had to work with the human nervous system through the use of electrons. The blonde master planned it all out. It would be made of

"Alloy steal." Natsuki mumbled as she took the liquid hot product out of the furnace. "Lead with mixtures of other elements; made to be stronger than average. Requires heat treatment."

She poured it carefully into the mold. Each part of the automail was made separately and screwed together. It was designed in the same style commonly used by the puppetmaster Sasori-no-dana. There would be compartments for hidden traps and stashed weapons. If it was worked right, it would connect with Sora's nerves and chakra so that the arms would activate the traps at the brain's command.

Natsuki hated Sora, but she loved her job.

* * *

A figure was watching Sora from a distance, walking closer. Sora saw him and recognized him instantly from the large size. "Sempai!"

"Yo," Brom greeted, holding up his hand. He was much calmer and more cheerful than when they were last together. He was in a good mood.

"I thought you said-"

"No one's around." Brom told him. "It's not going to make much of a difference in small areas. Don't get any idea's about getting together in big cities though."

"Right." Sora replied, "Hey, check this out!" He held up his new right hand and showed Brom. His sempai's eyes widened. "H-how-"

"It's called automail, I think." He explained. He moved the fingers flawlessly. Brom just stared, "Wh-where'd yah get that?"

"Oh, uh, well there's this gi- shinobi around here. Works well with metals. Had this hand attached using chakra. Amazing isn't it!?"

Brom couldn't stop staring, "Yeah, sounds like some girl-"

"I never said it was a girl!"

"You make things too obvious." Brom said jokingly. "So, what's she like?"

"Shinobi, puppetmaster, and works well with stuff like this." -he held up the hand- "She's blonde, real quiet an' shy, and … yeah that's 'bout it. She took me here to escape that storm that hit."

"So-"

"Hey, I'm only staying at her place because it was to save my life 'cause she didn't know I was immortal! It's her job as a shinobi to save lives!"

Brom sweatdropped. "... moron." He mumbled before quickly adding, "Anyway, what's she doin' now?"

"Workin' on the other one." Sora replied calmly.

"Your arm?"

"Yeah, she had a hand already, but the arm has to be built from scratch."

"And she just agreed to this...?"

Sora thought back. He couldn't really remember the agreement they had, like he just shrugged it off and forgotten it instantly. "Yeah, she was completely cool with-"

The door to the shed opened. Sora jumped and even Brom looked surprised. "H-how much did you hear?!" Sora gasped.

Natsuki shrugged, "About all of it. The shed's not sound proof. I just got thirsty." She walked past them and entered the house.

"Doesn't look like much." Brom commented. Natsuki was honestly a weakling to him. She was short and had barely any muscle on her; none that he could see at least. True, about every thirteen-year-old was weak or small compared to him, but then again she was a puppetmaster. They were usually weak in taijutsu, making their puppets do the fighting for them.

"Yo, Sora?"

"Hm?"

"Kanemaru still needs a new leg. Make sure you get her to make him one. Threaten with death if you have to."

"Hai."

"I'll leave Kanemaru in this shed before we leave the country. She can work on him while we move on. We need a more isolated place to start your training. I'll be checking up on yah in a couple of days."

The man walked off, his feet crunching into the snow enough so they touched the grass beneath. Sora headed out of the cold and into the house.

"I heard." Natsuki said flatly as he entered.

"How the hell can you hear in here!?"

"Training." Natsuki's tone didn't change.

"You've been trained to eavesdrop on people?"

"Yes." Natsuki replied. She drained her glass and continued, "I'm a shinobi, not a clueless little girl. As such, I'm required to preform spy work if the occasion calls for it. In this case, I bugged your clothes to make sure you didn't plot to kill me when my job is done."

"What!?"

"Check your jacket." Sora did so and found a small microphone attached to the collar. "When the hell did you do this!?"

"While you were sleeping of course."

"... You- you... while I..." He pointed a finger at her. "You're one freaky bitch, you know that."

"If not then, when could I have done it?" She pointed out, "Besides, you are the type to stab a person in the back once they're useless."

"Whatever." He plopped down on a chair. "So how long until my arm is done."

"It's going quicker than expected, actually." The blonde reported, "The metal is cooling right now, and once I give it the weapons for power and put it together I can attach it to your shoulder."

"Nice." Sora commented, grabbing a fruit from the bowl on the counter.

"So who is this Kanemaru person?."

"Not person, animal." Sora corrected. "He's a bear. Heh, I kinda cut off his leg."

"Kinda?" Natsuki stared, arms folded and eyes disbelieving.

"I didn't know what I was doing! I was... insane!" Sora found the right word. His glaze moved to the ground. "I don't even remember doing it. … I just remember a few flashes and something about a little kid. I can remember praying to Jashin-sama and Sempai found me. He was pissed. Started shouting an ...yeah."

"He... he did that-"

"What this!?" Sora realized she was referring to his arm. "Hell no! Just, just yelling. The bastard who did this was telling me shit. Tried to make me convert to his religion, whatever the hell it was."

"Oh..." Natsuki sighed in relief.

"You care?" Sora asked, surprised.

"Huh!" Natsuki realized the sudden feeling of pleasure she had felt when she realized the man with Sora won't harm him. _'Dammit, don't think like that!' _"No of course not." She said in her usual emotionless tone. A completely believable lie.

* * *

_Many hours later..._

"It's done." Natsuki sighed in relief She held up her handmade automail with a feeling of accomplishment.

The new arm shined from the metal gleam. It had perfect fingers, copied from the hand she had before it became the end of Sora's left arm. It was bigger than Sora's normal arm, so that he could grow into it. At the top it curved to make up part of his shoulder and be attached to the flesh remaining. She took a computer chip from the table next to her and walked out of the shed and into her house.

Sora was leaning back on a chair, looking bored, an empty plate still in front of him.

He saw the girl and a smile came on his face. "It's done!?"

Natsuki smiled back and nodded. She held up the automail. "Well what the hell are you waiting for!? Put it on!" Natsuki nodded and pushed away a sleeve so she could get to the flesh underneath. She pressed the metal end against it. Yep, perfect fit.

She took it back and inserted the chip into the half-of-a-shoulder on the automail. "It'll help your nervous system." She explained, "The human arm is complex . Chakra alone won't be enough in this case."

Her hand moved to the actual arm of the automail, ignoring the shoulder and hand. There were two openings in the arm. She opened the one on his forearm -the switch to open it was in the front by the wrist. It held kunai that were pre-aimed like they would shot out at any second. "Each kunai in here is attached to a string, so it can be pulled back to you." She explained. "There are traps in your arm that will shot them out at your command. You just got to imagine the lid to this compartment opening up and the trigger to the kunia firing and it will happen. "

She moved up the arm to the second compartment on the bicept. She showed him the opening "This one opens from the side instead of the front like the first one. There aren't any self-activating traps in this one, but it does store kunai, shuriken, and wire that aren't attached to anything. I imagine this whole thing wouldn't be easy to use right away. Besides, it sure wasn't easy to build."

"Then why have you been working on it twenty-four-seven since I've asked you?" Sora asked, "You could have taken a break or something."

_'I didn't take a break in order to finish it sooner because you scare me.' _Natsuki thought. She mentally shook the thought away. Shinobi didn't show or have emotions such as fear. "You never said that earlier." She pointed out, "Besides, I like my work."

"Whatever. What about the kunai thing?"

"You asked for an arm that would allow you to obtain blood. So the kunai shoots out, gets some blood from a cut on it, and is pulled back to you by the wire."

Sora spaced out for a while. "... I asked for that?"

"You don't remember..." Natsuki realized.

"...No. Whatever. Just get started."

Natsuki put the arm back onto the flesh and wrapped her hand around. The blue chakra flowed in her hand and into the new body. The process that was the same with the hand started over again.

**

* * *

**

It worked again!

Sora had a new right arm! It moved perfectly at his command. He stared in awe at it with an excited grin on his face. He had to use it!... But he was exhausted.

"It's about 3 in the morning." Natsuki said, "I'm worn out and going to bed."

Sora realized he was worn out too. It had just been a big event in his life. _'Only a few hours of sleep. Then I'll use this thing like crazy!'_

* * *

_Sora was laughing. He didn't know why at first. Then he looked at what he was holding up. His left hand. His new left hand was attached to his arm. "Oh my Jashin! Haha! It worked!"_

_He continued to laugh. The small sane part of him reminded him of Natsuki. She was still there. He realized then he couldn't control his actions. He saw her open her mouth, but the part of him that was in control didn't give a crap. His laughter slowed down and died softly. He flashed a smile and saw Natsuki suppress a shake of terror._

"_It's of perfect quality." He said, "Make me another one!"_

"_Wh-what?" The girl's words were so quiet, Sora almost didn't hear them. He grabbed Natsuki by her neck and forced her against a wall. The sane half was surprised he did it. The half in control just hurt her more, making her scream._

"_'Ultimate Metal-focused Puppet'," Sora read from a blueprinted pinned on a wall. "You've started working on this already haven't you." Natsuki nodded, staring at the insane boy like he was one of the demons. "Then put your project on hold and make me an arm." Sora ordered, "A powerful one. One that'll make me obtain blood so I can just lick it off."_

_Sora felt another presence in the room. An ice cold hand fell on his shoulder. It might have been a skeleton's from the feel of it. A dark fabric drooped over the white hand. The hand gripped his shoulder tightly, but gently. Sora heard a whisper- not from Natsuki. She was silent and completely unaware of this being. The voice was from a male and it was right next to him, inches from his ear._

_He couldn't turn his head and see anything but Natsuki in front of him. The whisper was far to soft for him to make out._

_Then Natsuki spoke, "... Al... Alright. Hai."_

* * *

Sora woke up on the couch. It was just a dream. He looked at his new arm. Why was it now that he remembered exactly what happened?

"Natsuki?"

"Huh?" Natsuki was in the kitchen one room over, about to take a bite out of her toast.

"I pinned you to a wall and forced you to make me my right arm?"

Natsuki almost dropped her food. Instead, she put her breakfast down on the plate quickly. Her appetite was gone. "Yeah, that's right."

"You're still making Kanemaru his leg." He said sharply.

"Of course." She replied, "I don't want to die."

Sora did say anything. He just got up from the couch.

* * *

**Moons: If you didn't understand anything, please just tell me through a review or something and I promise I'll make this thing easier to read. I'm honestly not that sure if anything makes sense anymore. And I mean _anything. _-sigh- That's what happens when you take chemistry and make fanfiction in the middle of the night.**

**It's about a quarter past midnight Sunday morning right now...**

**Liked it? Hated it? Think Natsuki needs a life that doesn't revolve around metal? Review and tell me. ^^  
**


	9. Chapter IX

**Moons: I'm sorry this took... what two weeks? -has no clue- Anyway, it was supposed to be done by yesterday, but I was... procastionating I guess is the right word. Again, I'm really sorry.**

**Hayashigakure is fanmade and belongs to HoshiMahou-chan of deviantART. All credit for said village goes to her. I just made the OCs. Link's on my profile.  
**

* * *

The world trembles like it wants to stop us,  
Taking everything away  
I'm not dreaming any more,  
And we haven't done anything yet, but still we'll keep going!

~After Dark, Asian Kung-Fu Generation

* * *

Sora stretched his arms. His new arms. It felt so good.

_'I need to start testing my arm out soon. No not soon, now! Didn't Natsuki say I could activate the trigger that shots kunai or something like that?'_

Sora held his arm up and imagined the compartment opening and a trigger shotting a kunai. The door to the compartment clicked open and in less than a second a kunai attached to a wire shot from under the sleeve to his jacket. It sunk into the wall _***thump* **_

Natsuki rushed out into the room, cup still in her hand. Sora gave the wire a tug and the kunai was yanked out of the wall, but didn't come all the way back to him. "Got it." He said satisfied, but he hadn't 'gotten it'. A second kunai shot out, shattering the cup Natsuki held. "Shit!" She screeched, dropping what remained of the handle.

"Sorry, I-"

"Don't think about it. The arm and it's traps are completely attached to your nervous system. All you have to do is imagine hard enough." She made sure the arm wasn't aimed at her, then bent down to pick up the pieces of glass. Sora pulled both of the kunai back to him and stashed them away.

"Just, please, take it outside. Besides, it doesn't look like that much imagination is required for you."

"Right." Sora replied. He stole the toast from Natsuki's plate and made his way out the back door. He aimed the arm at the shed and shot the kunai at the shed. It hit just inches from the point he wanted it too. "Not half bad." He commented to no one.

"_Yeah, not that bad. Blonde-y did good." _

Sora looked up at the roof. Twin sat there staring, his natural grin smack on his face. He wasn't as clear as normal. He was like a ghost with very little color on his pale skin making him almost transparent.

"You want something?" Sora asked the demon casually. No one could hear or see him.

"_Want somethin'? Nah, just checkin' in on yah. So Sora-chan, you get new hands. That's nice. Perfect for killing too."_

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Twin kicked his feet about playfully. _"Well, now you don't just have your flesh on arms. You're no longer just skin, bones, and whatever muscle you have. You're a weapon. You can stop a blade with your hand. You can punch harder than before."_ He jumped down from the rooftop and grabbed Sora's right arm. _"You're immune to some pain."_ He gave the arm a twist. It turned without resistance, completely flipping over 360 degrees. _"And apparently you're much more flexible- didn't see that one coming actually._

"_But most importantly, you have something to use as a tool for sacrificing."_

"Sacrificing?" Sora repeated. Twin nodded.

"_Yah see, you have traps in here specially made for grabbing blood, right?"_

"Uh huh..."

"_And you need blood to sacrifice." _Twin told him simply. _"You can get it more easily than ever now." _

"Yeah!" Sora realized what he was talking about. "I asked for the arm to be able to obtain blood. I didn't even realize..." He paused,

"I didn't even realize what I was saying."

Twin just smirked, _"Whatever, Sora-chan. By the way, yah might wanna get a sacrifice while you're in this country. You can't stay here for long anyway."_ As he said those last words he became nothing again.

"Sure, whatever." Sora's mood brightened a little. It was a long time since he actually remembered killing somebody. He would get some enjoyment out of this.

* * *

A man stumbled out of a building, his face flushed red not just from the cold. If this man was a stranger to alcohol, then the Snake Sanin, Orochimaru, was a helpless little school girl.

Easy practice.

Sora stepped out from behind the tree he were he had hid. He moved up the sleeve to his jacket and opened the compartment in his upper arm. There were his weapons. He took out a long kunai and made a deep cut in his arm. The blood poured out onto the snow. Sora winced and gritted his teeth. Was pain always this bad? He couldn't remember perfectly. It had been a while too long.

He bent over and used his hands and feet to form Jashin's symbol beneath him. Then he aimed his hand- a kunai shot out.

_'Shit! Too early!'_

The drunk didn't even notice the kunai collide with the snow at his feet. He walked lopsided in zigzags and swirls down the path. Another kunai shot out. _'Craaaaaap!' _The man stopped for a second as if now noticing something. Instead, he just put his hand on his forehead and mumbled something like "...not...lost... dam..."

Sora sweatdropped and reeled his missed kunai in. _'Even if I didn't sacrifice him, he'll be dead by morning.'_

He aimed his arm at the drunken man again and focused. The kunai shot out and landed perfectly on the shoulder. The man was so drunk he barely flinched at the impact. He turned around and saw a blurry red figure. "Who the frick are you~?" He slurred.

Sora ignored the question. He pulled the wire to fling the kunai back at him. He gave it a large lick to ingest the blood. It was disgusting! It reeked of the alcohol content, making the Jashinist want to spit it back out. He swallowed it anyway. He didn't notice any difference, but the man certainly did. He fell down in shock and stared. His mouth hung open as he stuttered, "Wh-what the fu- what the fuckin' hell!?"

Sora was confused by this comment. Nothing changed that he knew of. He pushed it to the back of his mind and aimed the kunai.

_'I'm immortal. It won't kill me. Just a quick stab in the heart and get it over with.'_

He struggled to grip the kunai, fear of pain consuming him. He squeezed his eyes shut and flung it into the chest. The drunk fell over, instantly dead. Sora screamed.

Blood was shooting out of his heart and starting to gush out of his skin. It was like the torture all over again. He fell down to his knees and began to hyperventilate. It was hard to breathe. He clutched his chest with one hand, staining the metal red.

_'Pray you moron!'_

Sora remembered Brom teaching him to kill like this. You shared the pain with your enemy. Then you prayed to Jashin, thanking him for a good sacrifice. You kept your weapon in the heart while you prayed. He stuck the kunai further into the heart to keep it there, being more pain. He thought he felt some blood in his mouth, but pushed the feeling away.

He let himself fall onto the snow, then rolled over onto his back. He prayed to Jashin. He begged him to take the pain away, even if it was just a little bit.

He coughed and small amounts of blood spurted out of his mouth. He began to feel worse. His breathing was difficult. _'Thank you... Jashin-sama. Thank you for helping me kill that man.'_

He didn't stop coughing, but blood didn't come out anymore. _'Thank you Jashin-sama.'_

Sora continued praying as his body bled and did it's best to heal. He didn't know how long. Then he felt a light kick at his side. His eyes snapped open. Brom towered over him.

"Sempai?!"

"Get up." Brom ordered, "You've prayed enough."

"How do you know?"

"Your skin."

"Skin?" Sora repeated. "What's wrong with my skin?"

"Nothing." Brom replied, "That's the point. Your skin will change color when you ingest blood. It fades bad to normal only if yah break the jutsu or if yah finish it by praying to Jashin-sama."

Sora remembered back when Brom showed him who to sacrifice. His skin had been black with white skeletal markings. Also the man had freaked out when he swallowed the blood. Had his skin changed?

Sora wondered this as he got up. He only got to one knee before clutching his chest. His heart still hurt. Brom got down and helped him up. "Com'on. I can't drag yah around all day."

"S-sorry. It... it just hurts a lot."

"I'm sure it does."

"Does getting stabbed in the heart always hurt this bad?" Sora asked. He leaned on Brom as they started to walk.

"It always does." Brom replied. "But you're an immortal now. You share the pain of death with your enemies and learn to love it."

"Like how you continued stabbing yourself instead of finishing of the sacrifice quickly."

Brom nodded. "Ah, sweet, sweet pain." He muttered softly. The two immortals walked on.

* * *

Natsuki shuttered slightly. Beside her was her mom, a cigarette lighting in her hands. "You know I hate that." Natsuki muttered, but her mom didn't hear her quiet voice. She just put the cigarette in her mouth and said, "I don't know why you come outside. It's so freakin' cold. You aren't even in a coat!"

"I've gotten used to the cold. I grew up here." Natsuki told her. "I'm fine in my sweater."

"Yeah, but it's not worth it. I'm goin' back in." She went back inside and her daughter sighed as she breathed in the now clean air.

She always hated drugs. Her parents had started using them just after she was born, hoping to get rid of stress. Her mom smoked and her dad drank. Over the first years of her life, she learned to recognize the smell of second-hand smoke and cheap beer. She would retreat to her room, or to her neighbor's home when she was old enough and her dad was drunk enough. Not only did the drugs smell bad, but Natsuki was sure they made people absentminded and in some cases violent.

Natsuki's greatest phobia became drugs. She learned in the academy how there weren't just the average drugs you get in bars. A medic-nin has one of the hardest jobs because if their drugs aren't used properly it could led to an overdose and death, even if the injured person isn't in critical condition before drugs are involved. There are drugs that are used on prisoners to numb their minds or torture them. In short, anything that changes the body is a drug. A drug is a poison, even if mild.

_'Why did I come out here again...? Oh yeah. The snow.'_

Snow was beautiful. It sparkled in the sun and stretched so far it never seemed to end. Why would people want a thing like spring?

"Natsuki!" The blonde looked up to see Sora and his Sempai coming toward her. Sora ran up to her and said, "This is it. I'm leaving."

"Oh, you are? Really!?"

Sora nodded. "Yep. Now that I have my hands, there's really no reason for me to stay here. Brom-sempai said we're going to a village where I can get a better weapon. It's kinda cool because we'll be taking the train out. I never rode on one before."

"It's nothing special." Natsuki told him, "I've been on it a couple of times. You just sit down and the train does the traveling for you. It can even be boring. Besides, after the first time the good feeling kind of dies."

"Oh... you're like a constant downer." He joked giving her a light punch in the arm. She didn't laugh, but managed a half smile for about a millisecond.

"Anyway, Brom-sempai is gonna summon Kanemaru in a moment. Then you can do all your measurements and crap and we'll be on our way. Kanemaru will go back to the land of summonings when your work is done, so you won't have to worry about him."

"Okay." Natsuki replied. "Thanks for filling me in, Sora-san."

"Don't mention it. Sempai told me to tell you."

"And... there's something I should tell you." Natsuki admitted. "About your arm..."

"My arm? What's wrong with it!?"

"Nothing... it's just what's inside it." Her hand glided over to his metal right shoulder. "I placed a chip inside it. I said that it would help you with your nerves. … It was worth roughly one hundred thousand ryou."

_'One hundred thousand!? There's no way Natsuki could afford that! She wouldn't be here if she had that kind of money! She-'_

"I stole it." Natsuki said interrupting his thoughts. "Some inventors had it and I really wanted it. I was just starting to get interested in automail and I thought to myself, 'If- if I could just have it. If I could use it on something.' Like your arm."

"One hundred thousand...!" Sora repeated. He was sure it was more money than he would ever have in all his immortal life!

"A couple months ago, I stole it from a storehouse. I don't think they've even noticed it's gone- or at least they haven't alerted the media or anything." Her hand fell off the shoulder.

"Just- just be careful with it."

"I will." He assured. "... so what, no name calling. I swear, you must think I'm a baka or something to assume I'll just lose or damage it."

"It only a warning so you know it can't be replaced. … and if anything, you're a... bonehead." She decided.

"B-bonehead!?" Sora stuttered. Natsuki looked away, as though regretting her words, but Sora outburst, half laughing. "That's the lamest insult I've ever heard! Com'mon! You can do better than that!"

She smiled and repeated over again, "Bonehead, bonehead, bonehead! That's what you are, Sora-baka."

"Baka, huh?" Sora made a face of mock discovery and said sarcastically. "So you are a bitch deep down!" Natsuki's smile grew and she had to bite her tongue to keep from giggling.

"So we're cool right? We're friends?"

Natsuki stopped smiling and blinked at the question.

"Um... I guess I don't have anything against you. Why?"

"I already made two enemies in, like, the past week. I really don't want another." He said.

"Sure... I guess we're cool. I won't say friends, but we're cool. Besides, it's better to have an ally than a enemy."

"Exactly." Sora agreed. "I owe you one. If there's someone you want dead, just look for Sora the Jashinist."

"And if you need me, just look for Burondo Natsuki." She reached to her side. "That reminds me." She pulled two white gloves out of her pocket. "They're a bit old, but you need something to hide the automail with."

Sora thanked her and put them on. They covered all the way past his sleeves so no gray showed. It was the final thing Natsuki gave him before he left with his sempai. Unless, that is, if you count a few parting words.

"Don't forget, you owe me one."

* * *

Days later...

"Freakin' Brom-sempai..." Sora mumbled. "Hurry to get to a freakin' village in the middle of a friggin' swamp and he tells me to get lost the second I get there. 'You found a place to stay perfectly well last time Sora-kun.' 'We can't be together too much Sora-kun, there are bounty hunters and shinobi after us.' After his ass he means. Now I'm paying for his trouble."

He stormed down a random path, sulking at his luck.

Hayashigakure (Village Hidden in the Forest) was surrounded by bogs and guarded by archers. You had to give a sign that you were a peaceful traveler to enter or leave. Otherwise you would be killed on the spot. Brom didn't tell him what the sign was. Only to stay on his shoulders to get through and whatever he did, he must not look down. Even so, 'peaceful travelers' were often ether missing-nin or criminals like himself returning from unknown jobs. There were many people, not all looking so nice, and they came in all varieties of colors and natures. The leader of the village was the Hudokage, who wasn't on the friendliest terms with other villages. Yet people here looked up to him.

The weather of Hayashigakure was what bothered Sora the most. It had been drizzling when he and Brom entered and hadn't shown any sign of stopping. In fact, Sora swore he had seen lightning in the distance. The water was soaking his shoes and he hated it.

He started walking again, deeper into the trees that inhabited the village. The entire place was just trees! Even the buildings were carved into trees!

He groaned as he pasted a random man in a dark green cloak. The man held up a knife. Sora saw it just last second. He spun around and held his arms up defensively, ready for the attack. The knife came down.

Blood dripped from the mans arm. "Why... did you just cut yourself." Sora asked, staring at the arm. It was covered in scars.

"It helps me feel alive." The man replied. Sora saw under the hood of the cloak. He wasn't really that old. Only a teenager.

"Um... could you get me a place to stay?"

* * *

**Moons: Okay, it's a school night and... 10 PM so uh Goodnight. **


	10. Chapter X

**Moons: Wow, it's been almost a month since I've updated this. Sorry, readers. I've started a new fanfic and with school it all just made typing this longer.  
**

**Anyway, I had a request to add a new OC into the story: Kitai. He's property of EmoDeidara13 and I have her permission to use him. **

* * *

'Cause everyone is falling away  
Feel like they're stolen from me  
Wish everything didn't happen to me  
All I want is faith, love and happiness  
Everytime one runs away  
Another one's returning  
Wish everyone could just see you face  
Faith, love and happiness

_~Faith, love, and happiness, Thousand Foot Krutch_

_

* * *

_

"I have a place for you to stay." The teenager told him. "But first, are you from Kumo?"

"Huh? You mean Kumogakure (Village in the Clouds)?" Sora said, "No, I'm not."

"Good. You got a place to stay."

"What do you have against that village?" Sora asked, "Are you racist against black people or something?"

"No," The cutter spoke in a flat tone, "My friends and I have nothing against the color of their skin. We don't care if it's darker than those of other lands. What we hate is their beliefs. The stuff they do."

"Like torture?"

The cutter looked at him strangely and said, "So have they done that to you?"

Sora looked down at the ground and held up his right arm. The teen grabbed hold of the arm and saw the metal. "I see...!"

"At least I didn't do it on purpose." Sora snapped. The cutter ignored him. "What happened?!"

"The man had a dark tan, brown eyes, brown spiked hair." Sora recalled the horrible memory again. "He even had the headband to prove he was from the Cloud. He was asking me questions and when I didn't answer he started stabbing away at my right arm. In the end, he gave me a choice. I could go with him and join his religion, become his follower kinda, or else."

"Not much of a choice." The cutter commented sadly.

"No, but I still took the or else."

"Oh..." The cutter dropped the arm. "Com'mon. We have to get to the house."

"Hai..." Sora said. His eyes were still locked on the ground as he trailed behind his host. _'I still remember his face. Thank Jashin I haven't forgotten. I'm going to remember that face so that the next time I see it, _I'll kill it!'

* * *

He entered the house that was not only occupied by the guy helping him, but two others as well. He met the first one from down on the floor. The minute he entered the house, he was glomped and wound up on said floor.

The attacker was a smiling girl about sixteen with candy-pink eyes hair, some of the hair put up into to pigtails that went behind her head. She wore a black shirt covered by a short pink jacket along with a pink skirt and fishnets coming down from her knees. The feature worse than all the pink: an exceptionally large chest that was crushing Sora. "Hiya~!" She chimed.

"Jeez, at least let him breathe." The second girl spoke as she entered the room. She was the same age as the cutter and had dark raven hair dyed so it had purple streaks. Her outfit was a white tank-top with fishnets on the arms, and baggy tan pants. A lit cigarette was in her hand. "Be careful with her, new guy. She's a glomper."

"Glomp?"

"Tackle-hug~!"

"... can you get off?"

"Sorry..." The girl said in a cute voice (sickeningly cute to Sora). The girl got off of him and Sora got a bit of a better view of them, namely their headbands. The pink girl's was black and wrapped around her waist as a belt. It had the clouds on it, but a line was slashed through it to mark her as missing-nin. _'She's missing-nin!?'_

"Yeah, she's a missing-nin." The smoking teenager said. Her headband was attached to the leg of her pants and had the Hayashigakure village symbol: a triangle with two wave-like shapes coming from it. "So what's he doin' here?"

"He needed a place to stay." The cutter explained walking up next to the girl. "And..." The rest was a whisper that Sora couldn't make out. The girl nodded and put the cancer-stick in her mouth.

"Meet my team. We're Team Chiri (dirt). I'm known as Gaki here." The teen said. The girl next to him blow out a little smoke and said, "Kemuri."

"And I'm Neko!" The pink-haired girl squeeked. "So, what'cha gonna be called? Huh?"

"Called?"

"Yeah, silly. We don't use our real names."

_'This girl is scaring me.'_

"She scares everyone." Kemuri told him, taking out the cigarette. "You'll get used to her. It just takes time. And before you say it, I don't read minds. I just read your face."

The girl didn't seem to be insulted by Kemuri's words. "Kemuri-chan is very smart. So, any requests? Something sound cool?"

"Not really." Sora told them. "Why do you make up names?"

"So people we knew wouldn't ever find us." Gaki said. "We all have enemies that come from Kumogakure and we were outcast there. You too, remember?" He reached over and pulled up the red sleeve. "You said they did this to you."

"He did." Sora said, coldness growing in his voice, "And I'll never forget his face so I can sacrifice him."

"Sacrifice?" Neko cocked her head, "Does that mean you worship a deity of some sort?"

"Jashin-sama." Sora answered.

"So, they hate you because of your believes too." Sora could only stare as the cheerful face suddenly grew sad. Neko hung her head in sorrow, her pink hair falling and blocking her face.

"You okay, er, Neko."

"Yeah... just tired suddenly." She left the room.

Sora looked at Kemuri. "What's with her?"

Kemuri sighed, "It's... well... she's a homosexual."

"Huh?! You mean she's a lesbian!?"

Kemuri nodded. "And that's the cause of her becoming a missing-nin. The religion up in Kumogakure... they don't like people like her. Her own mum kicked her out of the house!... and no one would take her in." Her gray eyes were sad. "We'll tell you more in the morning. It's late."

Gaki agreed. "My room's just over there. You can have it and I'll crash on the couch."

"Thanks." Sora muttered. _"Jashin-sama doesn't give two shits about sexuality of others. He just wants his followers to be pure, chaste...'_

When the door closed Kemuri looked at her friend. "He still needs a name." She pointed out.

"He's obviously very religious. He lost his left hand and right arm in torture because of it." Gaki noted.

"And they were replaced with metal." Kemuri said. She put out the cigarette and smiled. "He'll be know as the Metal Zealot. Cloud shinobi everywhere will learn to fear him." It was one of those rare moments where Kemuri spoke of her influence in the criminal world and where she made Gaki smile.

"He said Jashin-sama, right?"

"Right. That's not a problem is it?"

"No, in fact it works to his advantage. We'll get him and that Mist-nin together."

* * *

Sora woke up with more surprises from the pink missing-nin. This time...

"What the hell are you doing!?"

"Just sittin'."

"On my bed! While I'm sleeping!"

"Oh... right. Watchin' people sleep is creepy..." Sora twitched. _'Screw blonde jokes, they need pink-hair jokes!'_

Neko wasn't wearing her jacket. The black tee-shirt wasn't blank as Sora assumed. It had a white picture of two stick-figure women holding hands. She really did support gays if anything.

"Anyway, I wanted you to meet Tenshi!" Neko held up something Sora didn't notice before, despite its' squeaks. A small hedgehog, just bigger than Neko's hands. "She's my summoning animal. Isn't she cute!"

Tenshi gave a small squeak and Sora honestly couldn't tell how she was feeling. Neko started mumbling away. "Aren't chu so cute~ Now say hi to Zealot-kun~!"

"Zealot... kun?" Sora repeated.

"That's what Kemuri named you. The Metal Zealot."

Sora blinked. "... And you planned on telling me this...?"

"Just now."

"Riiiiight." Some time passed.

"You can go away now."

"Oh! Sorry." The teen left the room, cuddling her hedgehog in her arms. Sora got out of his bed and in front of a mirror. He noticed Kanemaru's predictions came true. His neck had healed greatly, leaving no mark. His chest however had a long scar running across it. He tried his best to shrug it off and got dressed.

* * *

Sora roamed the streets, bored. Nothing to do in this rainy village. Team Chiri had given him some standard shinobi boots that he was beginning to like. They were practically required in the village, due to the water lining the ground everywhere.

"Sora!"

"Br-brom-sempai!?"

Brom ran into an ally and gestured Sora to follow. When Sora did, Brom put his hands on his shoulders, "Listen carefully Sora. Some enemies of mine are in this village. I can't kill them here, they'll all know it was me. I'm gonna have to run and get to Kanemaru in Yukigakure. I can't let yah get involved in this. Promise me no matter what you'll stay here."

"Sempai...?"

"Promise me you won't leave this village!" Sora nodded almost unconsciously as Brom stared down at him. "I... I promise."

Brom let go of his shoulders. "Good." He sighed.

"What'd you do, sempai?"

"Dunno. But the guy who's after me doesn't have the greatest history with me, so I'm not in the least bit surprised that he's pissed. In the meantime however, I got yah this." He reached behind him and pulled out a weapon.

It was a katana, still in it's case. The handle was wrapped with a cloth and fit well into his hands when he grabbed it.

Brom handed him a note with it. "A few basic instructions."

Sora stared down at the sword and slowly took it out of the case. It was a steel silver that he could see his reflection in. "Sempai... I don't know what to-"

He looked up. Brom had disappeared without a trace.

"Dammit... Damn it!" Sora kicked at the ground. "You bastard! How come you always keep leaving me!?"

* * *

"Yo Zealot."

"I have a name."

"And we don't like names." Gaki replied nonchalantly, "Anyway, the people who are feared the most are given names. If we spread your name, 'The Metal Zealot', everyone will know you and fear you. And it's also kind of a … cover-up."

"Cover up?"

"It's not that uncommon that we need to get two people together in villages like this. So when we do that, we only call them by the titles we give them and shinobi or whoever we're against don't have a clue who the hell we're talking about.

"Speaking of which, we may be able to help you a little bit."

"Huh? Why would I need your help?"

"Well, beside the fact that your staying here, Kemuri noticed that you didn't a rosary or anything on you."

Sora looked down from the view of the roof."... I had a pendant."

* * *

_The ramen can crashed onto the floor. The leader was grabbing Sora's wrists and forcing them behind his back._

"_What the hell!?" _

"_C'mon! Restrain him!"_

"_What the fuck is going on!?"_

"_You're under arrest!" The shinobi hold him up said, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and w-"_

"_Why the fuck am I being arrested!?" Sora shouted. _

"_For starters, resisting arrest." _

_Through a lot of cursing, yelling, and fighting the shinobi managed to drag him out of the house. On the counter the wooden little pendent was left abandoned, later to be burned. _

* * *

"Long gone now."

"Well, I know someone who might be able to help you."

"You do? With what?"

"I haven't met him personally." Gaki admitted. "He's about my age and already growing pretty famous. He's even S-rank if I remember right!"

"No shit?" Sora said, suddenly interested.

"Nope." Gaki said, "I'm dead serious. And he's the best person to go to for a rosary for your Jashin. Or so I've heard."

"Is he... like me? A Jashinist?" Sora asked. Something inside him was disparate to meet this guy.

"From what I've heard, yes. But as far as I know they're only rumors. You can't be sure." Gaki reported, "The guy's in Iwagakure (Hidden Stone Village). That I know."

"Iwagakure! I- I'm not allowed to leave the village!" _'He can't be all the way over there! I can't travel!'_

Gaki sighed. "You know, there are times when you have to break the rules. But personally, I can't believe you. You're a criminal. Your job _is_ to break the rules." He walked over to the edge of the roof. "I got work to do. I'm still a shinobi of this village; I guard the walls with archers to protect people inside. Your stuff is still in my room when you're ready to go." He didn't even look at Sora. "The Dangerous Mist. Don't forget it."

* * *

"God damn it." Sora looked at the map over and over again. '_I know I'm in Iwagakure, but __besides that I'm hopelessly lost!' _He balled up the map in his fists and tossed it aside. "Useless piece of crap."

"Hey! Get back here!" Sora turned around and saw two Rock shinobi run toward him. One stopped next to him.

"Have you seen a kid with bright red hair run through here?"

"No." Sora answered. It was the truth anyway.

"Keep an eye out for him." He warned before running after his partner.

"Tch, yeah right." Sora scoffed. '_Like I give a crap.'_

He walked some more, only to be stopped again by another person. He came out of no where and was in no hurry.

"Hey dude, thanks for not ratting me out."

The boy was about 15, maybe a year ether way. He had bright red hair like the shinobi had said that went past his shoulders and fell into his face, covering his right eye. His eyes were red also and resembled blood. He wore a blue sleeveless shirt with black pants and a Mist headband with a cross running through it. On his left shoulder was a black tattoo that Sora knew well: A circle with an upside-down triangle! Just like the silver rosary that hung from neck!

"I- I didn't even see you. Y-you're the Dangerous Mist!?" Sora couldn't stop staring.

The missing-nin sweat-dropped. "Okay, then. Stop stuttering already. And it's Kitai. Misuto Kitai."

* * *

**Moons: So... something tells me that I'm gonna get a review saying this is crap. Ether that or I offended somebody. C'mon, bring on the flames! -puts on fire-fighter gear-  
**

**Just a quick disclaimer: I have nothing against the Cloud Village. I only read the spoilers for Naruto now, but Cloud has Killer Bee! A guy like that makes the village awesome! I used them as the antigonist village because 1) Some fanfiction (from around '07, kinda old) believed that the Cloud were very religious and that led me to believe that they could be anti-Jashin and 2) That's what you get for being the only village without an Akatsuki member. **

**So anyway, R&R and hopefully I'll get the next chapter out sooner and it'll be better. ^^  
**


	11. Chapter XI

**Moons: A review!? *pinches self* I'm not dreaming!! Thank you Brotmesseresser! *gives magical soda***

**Kitai-kun and the organization Keimei are property of emoDeidara13 and are used with her permission.  
**

* * *

Rest in me and I'll comfort you  
I have lived and I died for you  
Abide in me and I vow to you

I will never forsake you

_~Evanescence, Lies_

_

* * *

_

He was right behind him. There was little if any possibility of escape. The boy kept running as fast he could. Two kunai came flying his way. He moved quick enough just so they were a hair away. A hand reached out behind him.

"Gotta'cha!"

The redhead grabbed Sora by his shoulders and pinned his back to the ground. The two stared eye to eye for a total of about five seconds. Then they started to crack up with laughter.

"Ha... man I wasn't even close." Sora commented between snickers.

"You are close." Kitai said, getting up off him. "You're a naturally fast runner, and you're learning how to avoid me."

"Eh, I'm not nearly as good as you."

"Yeah, well I'm four years older than you and actually became a shinobi." Kitai helped Sora to his feet. "Didn't you have _any _shinobi where you came from, kid?"

"We had them visit, but there wasn't an actual school where you could train." He explained as they started to walk. Around his neck hung a silver rosary exactly like Kitai's.

They walked together casually on the edge of the town. At first glance, they looked like close friends. It would be hard to tell that they had met each other recently. Honestly, Sora didn't know how long Kitai had been watching over him in the village. Things, for once, were looking surprisingly well for him.

The sun was now long down and the two decided to call it a day. They were staying in an abandoned place that they claimed as their own for the time being. Sora instantly feel asleep, exhausted from the little work out Kitai gave him. Kitai on the other hand had an empty sleeping bag.

He couldn't sleep. The older Jashinist leaned back against a wall, having a flashback.

* * *

_**You are not alone in the world, Kitai. There are more people out there who have been through pain. I have rewarded them with a listening ear through their prayers. One of them is coming your way. Be my messenger and give him a little gift from me.**_

_Kitai woke up from the dream. A silver rosary like his own was in his hand. "Jashin-sama...!" Of course it was the work of god. It had been his voice. He had given him a gift like this before. _

_The place he was currently staying in was a dark place to wake up in. He tucked the gift careful into a pocket to wrapped up later and given better protection. He took no notice of the figure sneaking around him. He practically slivered through the trees getting closer and closer to him._

_

* * *

_

_Kitai yawned and got out of the place he was staying in. Iwagakure's streets were crowded even in the mornings. He frowned a little at the thought of how hard finding one to sacrifice would be. Well not really, but Kitai was picky. He only killed certain people. He loathed the killing of innocents. He wasn't much of a felon that way, but he didn't care._

_Even though his sacrifice was that of a criminal, he got in trouble anyway. He ended up running from some shinobi who "caught 'im". He ducked inside a corner to hide last minute. The shinobi kept running._

_There was a kid in the street. Surely he saw him! The shinobi ran in the other direction after interrogating him. He didn't tell them where he was!_

_He was in a good mode now. So he went up to the kid, told him thanks for not ratting him out. The kid seemed shocked when he got next to him. He admitted he hadn't even seen him and asked him if he was the 'Dangerous Mist'. Kitai sweatdropped. His name literally meant 'Dangerous Mist', but he didn't go flashing the title around. Some unknown person who feared him had._

"_...It's Kitai. Misuto Kitai." He corrected. "And you are...?"_

"_Sora." He replied._

"_Sora..."_

"_Nothing. Just Sora." _

"_Okay. Why were you looking for me, Sora?"_

"_I__... need a rosary. For Jashin-sama." Sora looked down at the ground for a split second and looked back at him. He looked... hopeful?No that wasn't the right word. Desperate._

_Kitai thought back to Jashin's words so long ago. He reached into his pocket. "You worship Jashin-sama as well?"_

_Sora nodded. "I'll do anything for him. But... I had a pendant and lost it when I was arrested a long time ago. I was told to go to you to get a rosary for him. If you don't have one... I- I won't get mad."_

_Kitai took out an item wrapped with a cloth._

"_How old are yah Sora?"_

"_Twelve." He looked younger._

_Sora's large eyes grew wider as he saw the it being unwrapped; a rosary. Kitai smiled and handed it to him._

_Hayashigakure was to far for Sora to travel back to that day, so Kitai offered him to stay with him until he was ready to move on. The day wasn't over yet, so they started talking. They both wanted to know how Jashin had helped them._

"_He made he immortal and saved my life..." Sora told him about how he was captured and tortured. Kitai could only listen. The kid had it rough. Torture was a hard thing to live through; he should know. _

"_What about you, Kitai-san?" Kitai paused for a second. "Oh... my story. Well, Jashin-sama gave me my rosary... when I became a missing-nin. After..." He trailed off, lost in the past. _

_Sora looked at him oddly. "Did I say something?"_

"_No... it's just... my story." He sighed heavily. Sora had to think for a moment before understanding. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you to do anything."_

_Kitai smiled softly, "Thanks kid." _

"_But Jashin-sama... he gave that to you directly!?"_

"_Yeah. It was a promise. And a while ago, he gave me yours and told me to pass it on."_

"_A promise?"_

"_That... that I'll never have to go through what I went through again."_

"_It must have been pretty bad."_

"_You have no idea."_

"_Worse than what I went through?"_

"_Much worse..." Kitai said, "It's something I hope you'll never ever have to go through."_

"_..." Sora became silent, probably imagining the kind of pain he had to go through. _

_Kitai made him a little offer then. Sora wasn't a shinobi and those skills were the kind that one needed to kill and get away with it. So he would help Sora out a little by sparing with him until they had to go their separate ways. It took no further words to convince Sora._

_He didn't know, however, that Sora was bran new to his katana. So they kept it simple, first grade academy level. He took his own kunai and the ones in Sora's arm and used them in target practice. He helped Sora throw and gave him pointers on how to improve his aim. Sora was a fast runner, but not as fast as Kitai. They raced each other anyway and it would soon become an extreme shinobi-like version of tag._

_Days went by..._

_

* * *

_

It had only been a week ago when he met Sora, but he was growing attached to him. The kid was full of hope and he seemed to admire him. The feeling he had because of Sora was strange and completely unfamiliar. What was it? He didn't know.

Sora looked up to Kitai a lot. Kitai didn't know what to think. He was jealous of Sora, for not having as cruel of a life as he himself did. It was weird. He had gone almost his whole life without any sign of love and this kid just made him his hero. He glanced down at Sora. He was softly snoring, probably having peaceful dreams.

Something burned on his skin. Kitai groaned and covered the area with his hand. He tried to suppress the energy, but was failing.

Orochimaru's curse mark continued to dig at his energy and burn his flesh. Kitai gritted his teeth and groaned.

And it was over. The pain went away. _'It's getting worse… It just keeps getting worse…' _He sighed as relief flooded through him. He glanced back down at Sora.

'_I can't let him get involved with this.'_

_

* * *

_

The next morning, Kitai and Sora were both up early. "Kitai-san?"

"Huh?"

"It's been awhile since I killed somebody."

"You need a sacrifice?"

Sora nodded. Kitai's smile went away. "It's grim... you have someone in mind?"

"There's no one I know around who deserves it. I usually stick to people who come out of bars: drunks, alcoholics, you know?"

"Even if it's their first drink?"

"It's hard to tell." Sora explained, "They all start to look alike after a couple of rounds."

"So even if they're innocent!?"

"There's no way of telling th-...oh." Sora saw Kitai's disgusted look. "Well... they're easy..."

"That's a poor excuse." Kitai snapped.

"Sorry, Kitai-san... I didn't know you had something against that." Sora looked down at the ground. "I- I just think about Jashin-sama. I don't think about something like innocence."

"Who the hell taught you _murder _was okay!?"

"My senpai."

Kitai blinked and his expression became a little less cold. "Your senpai!?"

"Brom-senpai. He taught me about Jashin and saved my life."

"Oh...oh..." Kitai hit Sora lightly, "Look up, okay?" Sora looked up. Kitai exclaimed, "Jashin! You look down too much. Let people see your face!

"Sorry..."

"C'mon, we'll find someone who you can kill who we're sure is bad."

"Kitai-san?"

"What now? Don't tell me your senpai told you not to kill bad guys."

"No, he told me when it came to killing it didn't matter who it was, as long as it was for Jashin-sama. Why are you different?"

"...Let's just stick with I hate killing. Especially innocents."

"Oh, okay then." _'He's still a Jashinist. Whatever his believes are, I won't go against them. I'll still kill. Makes no difference. It just has to be a criminal... for his sake.'_

* * *

"There." Kitai pointed at the figure in the road. "His headband's crossed. He's a missing-nin."

"So, he's okay to kill?"

Kitai smiled and nodded. "Knock yourself out."

"Er, Kitai-san..."

"Huh?"

"He's missing-nin. I'm not sure I can..."

"Don't worry. I'll give you some help." Kitai assured. He jumped from the hiding and got behind the victim. Before he could react, Kitai gave him a swift hit in a pressure point on his neck, causing him to fall to the ground.

"He's just knocked out. You can easily take his blood and do the ritual now."

Sora smiled back at his friend and jumped out of the hiding spot. He carefully spilled his blood and got everything set up. Kitai sat down a little ways aways and watched patiently as Sora licked the blood. His skin turned black and white as the ritual started.

Kitai blinked when he examined Sora further. Was he... hesitating?!

Sora's arms were shaking as he held the katana in front of him. His mouth was moving as he was whispering a fast prayer to Jashin. When his prayer finished, he flung the sword into him.

The missing-nin died instantly. Sora had the sword stuck through his heart. His skin slowly changed back to it's normal tan. His eyes squeezed shut. He bit down on his lip and pulled the katana out.

Kitai looked at him oddly. "Sora-ku-"

"AAAAAHHHHH!" Sora fell to the ground and pressed a hand to his chest where blood gushed out. His scream ended and he gritted his teeth to prevent another one.

"Sora!" Kitai rushed to his side. He wrapped and arm around Sora. "Sora! It's okay! I'm here!"

Sora found some comfort in his words and forced himself to smile up at him. "I'm fine..."

"Bullshit!" Kitai said, "I thought you were immortal and used to that!"

"I've only been immortal _-groan-_ for a little over a month _-moan-_..." Sora got to his feet. "I-I still need to get used to that."

"How can you-"

"Brom-senpai... told me you get used it, you learn to love it. And I trust him."

"How can you love it!?"

"He was laughing as he went through the others pain."

"But even I don't love it that much. I've been immortal for about two years and I-"

"I trust him!" Sora repeated. Deep down, he regretted saying it. Even though it was true that Brom had saved him and he couldn't thank him enough for that, there was something in his soul pushing at him; it told him to hate Brom. He hadn't done much but hurt him and leave them since they began traveling together.

But his heart... His heart argued strongly. Brom had cared for him still, right. And if it wasn't for Brom, his entire world would be completely different. He would have never been enlightened by Jashin if not for his senpai. Also, what if someone else had discovered him after the torture and found him alive. His life would go straight downhill for the worst. They would probably do stuff to him he didn't want to imagine- so bad he _couldn't_ imagine!

"I'm sorry, Sora." Kitai said. Sora barely heard him. "Not your fault." He muttered. The talk of Brom-senpai had reminded him of his promise.

"Kitai-san... I'm going to have to go back."

"Back?"

"I promised my senpai I won't leave, so the least I can do at this point is go back so that I can meet him when he expects me."

Kitai stared speechless for a moment before saying, "I understand."

* * *

"Neh, what's the matter Zealot-kun?"

"Shaddup, Neko! I'm not in the mood..."

"Oh..." Neko leaned forward on the table and watched, bored, as Sora held a rosary in his hand and spun it around.

"Neko...?"

"Eh?"

"I just met another immortal Jashinist... do you know if there are any others?"

"Hmm." Neko thought for a moment, "Sorry Zealot, I dunno of any. But there are criminal organizations who might know of some."

"Criminal organizations?"

Neko nodded. "Two of the most famous are Keimei and Akatsuki. Both hate the other.

"Keimei is actually very close to us, team Chiri. We get paid by them for our information gathering skills. Their goal is to take over the world. There are always twelve members maximum and the leader is a woman named Jemukousa Hina.

"Akatuski is... probably slightly more powerful. They're about equal. Their goal is unknown, but they have something to do with capturing monsters I think. There are ten members maximum. We don't even know what their leader looks like, never mind his name."

Neko kicked her feet playfully under the table. "That answer your question?"

"No."

"Well I tried." The pink girl sighed.

"Thanks anyway..." Sora said, cradling the rosary in his hands.

* * *

"Sora..."

"Yeah, Brom-senpai?" Sora looked up at the giant. Brom noticed the rosary around his neck. "Where did yah get that?"

"Oh..." Sora smiled softly. "I made a friend."

"Friend?"

"Mm-hm." Sora held up the rosary in his hand and stared at it, eyes shining. Kanemaru shifted uncomfortably on his new metal leg. Brom got the hint. Something seemed off.

"Where did you meet your friend?"

Sora glanced down at the ground for half a second, but then looked up trying to keep a straight face. "In the village of course."

"You glanced down and hesitated." Brom told him. "You dirty liar."

Sora stopped walking. "B-but I had to! I-it was for Jashin-sama!"

"**Grraaaaaa!" **

Brom's fist collided with the wall next to them, breaking some of the bricks.

"Brom-dono control yourself! There may be people around!" Kanemaru warned.

Sora stared, stuttering, "Senpai! I'm sorry- I- I-!"

Brom took deep breaths and slowly lowered the fist. "You promised me that you would stay in the village!" He growled.

Sora closed his eyes, not wanting to know what was coming. Instead, Brom put his hands on his shoulders. "I made you promise that for your own safety. If someone were to capture you, what would happen! And even if not, how would I find you again!? I don't want people to find out about you!" His hands started to crush the boy's shoulders from squeezing them so hard. "I don't."

"Sempai..."

Brom let go. Sora grabbed his now sore left shoulder.

"C'mon. I want to be able to train yah."

* * *

**Moons: If you want to see more of Misuto Kitai, read Religious Insanity by emoDeidara13. Seriously, 'cause that girl helps me out A LOT!  
**


	12. Chapter XII

**Moons: Story has finally reached the Shippuden time! -sniff- so... happy... But so much more writing to do... -dies-**

* * *

Not every difficult and dangerous thing is suitable for training, but only that which is conducive to success in achieving the object of our effort.

-Epictetus

* * *

Time went by... in a number of years one can learn a lot from a good master. But this training even with the best masters is never easy. Even with the greatest amounts of talent, it is worthless without hard work.

For Sora, a beginner to the art of fighting, this meant a lot of hard work. Even though he was more than eager to learn more about his deity, Brom had insisted fighting was more important. There were going to be a lot of people who would want to take him down, mostly skilled shinobi. He would have to at least learn how to handle a katana. So kenjustu (sword techique) was first.

* * *

"_No, you're holdin' it wrong." Brom grabbed the handle and moved it so Sora was holding it correctly. He showed him the positions he could use for both blocking and attacking. In less then five minutes, they were sparing. In a matter of seconds Sora was on the ground, Brom's foot crushing his back. _

"_Go easy!" He moaned, "I'm still new at this." _

_This request resulted in a nasty kick in the shin, making him wince. "They won't 'go easy' on you out there!" Brom yelled, "And it may not look like it, but _I am _going easy on yah! I could have you in a state inches from death if this were for real. Now get up and do it again!"_

"_Can't I just-"_

_Another kick._

* * *

Along with that, there was a trick considered by many to be necessary to be at equal fighting level with a shinobi.

* * *

"_Charka control is one of a shinobi's greatest greatest advantages. You know what it allows them to do?"_

"_Ninjutsu, right?"_

"_True." Brom told him, "But it gives them other abilities that don't exactly fall into that category." He looked over at the river. It was the middle of winter and snow gathered in clomps on the water. "Come on." He stood up with Sora. His student watched in awe as Brom made a handsign and a blue aura glowed at his feet. He walked straight out onto the water. The chakra allowed him to pass over the water without getting a drop of it above his boots._

"_Now it's your turn."_

_Brom showed Sora a simple handsign shinobi used. "That's what they use to get their chakra flowing. Then you focus it down to your feet. It'll keep you up above the water. However, this is a hard task. It requires precise chakra control. If you have just a bit too little, you'll go crashing into the water."_

_Sora put his left hand in deep enough just so the water would touch his flesh. It felt like ice and sent shivers down his spine. He quickly pulled the hand back out._

"_I'll get yah started. You got the chakra at your feet?"_

_It had taken over an hour, but Sora finally thought he felt slightly stronger in his feet. Brom carried him out onto the water. He dropped down so that he was standing with Brom holding him up by the arms. Brom dropped the arms. _

_Sora plunged into the river. It hit like a thousand knifes. The water rushed into his lungs, but his immortality prevented any chance of drowning. His entire body froze down to the bone. He wanted to breath so badly..._

_Brom grabbed Sora by the collar and lifted him out of the river. Sora began to cough up water violently. "That was terrible!"_

"_I- I know..._ -cough cough-_ I'm sorry!"_

_This training continued for days. Sora got better, but never enough to keep his balance on water. Eventually they both called it quits. Sora had a bad cold that didn't go away until spring came around. It was only then that was able to gain some basic control of his chakra in order to climb a tree with it. _

* * *

If it wasn't working with a sword, struggling to control chakra, or learning the ways of Jashin, Sora was being taught the most basic way of fighting.

~*~

"_Taijutsu?"_

"_That's the proper term for it. But it's really nothing more than physical fighting. Punches, kicks, the whole sha-bang."_

"_Sounds easy enough."_

_It was easy enough. Sora excelled in taijutsu mostly due to his speed. _

"_But it's still not shinobi level." Brom constantly pointed out._

"_I know...!" Sora would growl back and try an even more powerful attack. _

"_Work with your legs Sora." Kanemaru advised from the sidelines. "Your arms may be stronger now because of the metal, but they will never improve. You must improve what can be improved."_

"_Sora!" _

"_Huh!?" The moment Sora looked at the bear, Brom knocked him to the ground._

"_Don't get distracted by what's going on in the sidelines and focus on your opponent."_

_Above him, Brom laughed at Kanemaru's words. Sora groaned._

* * *

Even through the hard training, Sora managed to stay with Brom and Kanemaru. There were others there as well.

* * *

"Hey Sora-chan~"

"_Twin...?!"_

_The devil of himself blocked his path, smiling cleverly as always. He seemed to grow with Sora, not only with age. He had this dark aura around him that seemed to glow with evil._

"Sooo..."

"_No I haven't killed anyone lately. There's no one around _to _kill"_

"Ah... I see your point. Anyhow, I'll be 'round. Do what-the-fuck-ever you want."

_Sora groaned as Twin practically skipped away from him. He was lucky the demon had shown up when he did, and not around Brom or Kanemaru._

"Sora-chan-an-an~"

_This demon's voice carried, like there was more than one. It was childish and playful even. The demon slowly came into sight. _

_It was white and resembled a small ghost. It was small, about two hands tall and had a pointed nose like a cone. There was a blurry light around it that blurred more whenever Sora blinked. _

"_Who are you."_

"We-are-The-Threesome-ome-ome."_ The ghost had three separate voices that Sora could make out. _"We watch over you-" "-just likeNighro-akuma-" "-Watching and waiting for you to snap~!"

"_Ah... I'm guessing there's more of you demons to come."_

"*giggle* hehe *giggle*"

* * *

Even though they showed up at what seemed like the most annoying of times, the demons were friendly people. They did no harm to Sora and helped him stay on the path of Jashin. Or at least Twin did. Nighro, The Threesome, and many other nameless demons watched over Sora just for the entertainment. There was blood lust in their strange eyes as they watched him sacrifice. Each time they appeared to want more. They wanted him to make a gory show.

Eventually Sora just had to give in to their wishes... not that he minded really.

Things were looking up for him.

He was growing up, becoming a fighter. A real serial killer, mass murderer, top felon. His body became used to the feeling of pain. He still hated it... but when shared with others, he felt so powerful. Seeing them suffer while he knew he had god on his side. The feeling was so enjoyable to a Jashinist. He loved it and could actually manage to smirk at his foe's misery.

And aside from all the harsh training he put him through, Brom was a nice guy.

* * *

"_Here yah go Sora."_

"_Senpai... you know you just handed me a bottle sake right?"_

"_So... it's New Years. It's an exception."_

"_You sure it's a good idea?"_

_Brom smiled, "You were raised in a bar right? With all the experience you've had, you should be responsible enough to know your limits at thirteen._

"_Just on New Years..." He promised._

_Sora sighed and pushed the bottle away. _

_Next morning, Brom found Sora curled up in a sleeping position. His face was flushed red. His eyes were closed along with his mouth that curved to form a huge smile. Brom smiled as well and took the half empty bottle from Sora's hand. _

* * *

Things were looking up for him... for once in his miserable life. Sora continued to grow up, unaware of the directions his life would take.

* * *

**Setting: Shippuden; Kuma no Kuni (Land of Bears)**

Sora was falling behind. "C'mon Sora!" Brom called back. No one came. "You're too slow, Sora!"

"No you are." Brom looked to see Sora sitting down far ahead of him. A pack carrying their supplies rested next to him. "I was waiting for you. You must have spaced out or something if you didn't notice me passing you. You getting old for once, Senpai?"

"Huh.... Hah, nah. I'm just too used to you bein' behind me." _'I'm not the one getting old...You're going to be an adult soon Sora...'_

The fifth of May had passed by a months ago, making Sora almost fifteen and a half. He was starting to imitate shinobi a bit by the way he dressed. His shirt was a fishnet one now and his shoes were shinobi standard. Because it had been warm this week, he had tan shorts on. He still wore a red jacket/white glove combo to hide his automail and his hair had only grown a few inches. It was like almost nothing had changed. He just got older is all.

"So we going or what?" He asked cheerfully as he got up.

"Yeah, yeah, just don't rush ahead this time. I know you're fast paced and all, but-"

"Whatever." Sora agreed. He grabbed the pack and started walking again.

* * *

"That 'im?"

"Yeah that's him."

"Waz his name again?"

"Brom. He's a well skilled fighter and hasn't been captured easily. Rumors say he's immune to pain!"

"No wonder. The guy's a freakin' _giant!"_

"We can take him!"

"We have over two dozen here! Oh course we can take him!"

"What about the kid?"

"Didn't say anything about him. Our mission is to get Brom. If you can get the boy, by all means do so, but Brom comes first!" Their leader gave a hand signal and the team scattered.

* * *

"Sora." Brom whispered, "Don't panic and act casual."

"We're being watched?"

"Yeah. Wait for them to make a move."

"Hai."

As the shinobi came closer, Sora got an uncomfortable feeling that confirmed they were being stalked. He kept his hand close to the katana.

It wasn't long until the attack.

The shinobi surrounded them instantly. They dressed in black with light armor. Their faces were covered with animal masks. ANBU.

Sora dropped the pack and whipped out his katana. Brom did the same and cut his hand with the blade. He slammed it to the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu! (summoning technique)" Kanemaru appeared by their side in a flash.

The ANBU attacked first. Most ignored Sora and went start for Brom. Brom took out the second katana so he was able to fight two or three at a time. It took a simple shove for him to knock a shinobi to the ground. His katanas defended against any weapons they shot at him. Kanemaru fought a similar way, pushing ANBU over and even throwing them with his strength.

Sora was attacking on equal grounds with two ANBU. That soon became defending.

One wore a cat mask and had her hair held up by what looked like knifes. The other one, in a bird mask, moved in to distract Sora. He had a strange marking on his arm that proved to be part of a jutsu.

"Rensei shinku ken! (Drilling Crimson Blade)" A red wave of energy shot out of his arm, pushing Sora back and knocking him off balance. The energy shot up Sora's arms as well, ripping up the gloves and sleeves to shreds. His foes didn't flinch at the sight of his metal. They were ANBU; they were trained for this kind of thing.

The cat ANBU was now in the air. She removed the knifes from her hair. "Tentou hari danmaku! (Heaven's Needle Barrage)"

She flung out dozens of needles in a shower at Sora. He jumped back and tried to deflect them with his own kunai. No luck. Even the wire that would be used to pull kunai back snapped under the pressure of the attack. He was shot down.

On the ground, he pulled out the few senbon that had suck into his face. He got up and looked to the ANBU duo. His eyes were red with blood flooding to them. In a flash of speed, he disappeared.

The cat ANBU blinked. Sora reappeared by her side slicing her down with his katana. She fell over, a cut forming in her thigh.

The bird ANBU attacked with his own katana, but Sora's skill and speed with the tool was at top level. Sora broke through the other's defense and knocked the sword out of his hand. A quick blow in the head came from his right hand. It wasn't hard enough to kill the man, but to knock him unconscious and make his head bled.

The woman was on the ground still, her injury enabling her from moving. Sora smiled ear to ear and held the katana up, looking forward to the salty taste of blood.

"Fūton: Jūha Shō (Wind Release: Beast Wave Palm)"

A wave of chakra came flying at Sora. It blinded him, so he was unable to see the attacker. He was flung back further and further as the unknown attacker repeated the jutsu. Finally after flying many feet and crashing painfully through many trees, his head hit the ground _hard._

Then it all went black.

* * *

Sora slowly opened his eyes. No one was around him. Not a sign of life. He could clearly make out the damage to the environment. Burns from Katon Jutsu (Fire Release Technique) scorched the ground and there were trees with deep cuts in them and entire branches missing.

It was dark out already. It had been midday during the attack. How long had he been knocked out?

He managed to stand up and pull various senbon out of his flesh. He took off what remained of his jacket and left it there. It was useless without the sleeves. Walked on.

There was still no sign of life. He found his pack, surrounded by blood split in the battle. He searched it to find it robbed off all materials except a half empty container of water.

It was an extremely cold night. Not as cold as it got in the Yuki no Kuni (Land of Snow), but still a fall night like this could get pretty freakin' cold. Not the place Sora wanted to be without his gloves and jacket. Yet, here he was.

A few articles of clothing weren't all he was missing. All his food, most of his water and kunai, and most importantly...

"Senpai..." Sora muttered. His gray hands, colder than the rest of his body, reached to his side and pulled out the katana to defend himself. Something told him they weren't done yet.

Bastards!

* * *

**Moons: Sora is an idiot! B33r is bad!! Do NOT drink underage!! **

**Reviews are loved and rewarded with magical soda. **


	13. Chapter XIII

**Moons: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays readers. -gives presents-  
**

**Warning: Following chapter is short and contains lame angst and emo Sora killing. Not advised to read if you're trying to get into the holiday spirit. Because killing people is not Christmas-y -shakes head sadly-**

* * *

Read between the lines  
What's fucked up and every thing's alright  
Check my vital signs  
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone

_~Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, Green Day_

* * *

Sora looked around for sign of people. No one. Why did it still feel like a fight was going to break out again.

He walked down the path, katana gripped tightly in hand. Up above him, something dangled. It fell down. Sora screamed and swung his sword out. It cut through the head. The thing was a corpse and Sora had just cut off everything above the jaw. He took deep breaths and stared at the blood pouring out. He regained control of himself. There was nothing out here. Nothing but dead anyway.

The fight scene was far behind him now... He went to the nearest town, just outside Kuma no Kuni, and searched the streets. Nothing. The streets were dark and if anyone could see him, they couldn't see his automail. Not that there was anyone on the streets.

There was no sign of Brom or Kanemaru anywhere. He couldn't track, there was no way in hell he could go to shinobi for help, and Brom was the only one who could summon Kanemaru.

_'I'm alone...'_

He stopped at the edge of the town, right at the exit. It was night. He reached into his shirt and pulled out his rosary. He sat down, crossed his legs, and slowly moved the beads of the necklace as he counted the prayers.

He prayed for Brom to be okay, for him to find him so that they could be together again. He wasn't ready yet. Not ready to be on his own. He thought of Kitai for a second and prayed for Jashin to watch over him as well. He mostly prayed for forgiveness.

_'I'm sorry I lost the fight. I'm sorry that I didn't do more. I'm sorry I let myself pass out. I'm sorry I haven't yet found the ANBU so I can finish them off. I'm sorry for injuring without finishing the job. I am sorry that I'm a failure... I'm sorry I failed you Jashin-sama.'_

Sora felt sick. That feeling that you could have done more, but you didn't. The feeling that you've disappointed the one most important to you. He hated that feeling.

The message in his head repeated over and over. '_I'm sorry I failed you....please forgive me Jashin-sama.'_

He recognized the feeling he hated so much during that time.

He felt pathetic.

Dawn was near. He didn't even care anymore.

* * *

"Hey look at that weird kid!"

"It's not nice to point, sis."

"But he's got _metal hands an' an arm!_ How is that not weird!?" Sora sighed. He got up to go steal a jacket from some store in the town. The little girl was no longer pointing, but kept staring.

"Well it isn't nice. How would you feel if you looked different, like if you had metal arms? You wouldn't want people pointing and staring at you like a freak. The poor guy was probably in a horrible accident of some kind. What if he's a shinobi and lost his arm and hand saving someone's life!? You think about that?"

Sora still heard their words. He had to bite his tongue to hold back snickers. _'A shinobi saving someone's life, huh?'_

"Oh... I'll ask 'im! Then-"

"You'll do no such thing! A man's past is his own business. Let's just keep going. We have to get there early."

"Okay, onii-san."

_'Onii-san!' _Sora turned around and say the girl walking off, holding her brother's hand. They looked a lot alike. Just like him and...

He growled softly. He pulled the rosary close to his face and whispered one final prayer. "Jashin-sama, please let Ichigo live so I can become a powerful immortal and kill him with the most painful death possible. _~Amen!" _

* * *

Back at the sight of the fight there was nothing. Nothing had changed in a period of twenty-four hours. Sora continued looking in the area anyway. There must be some clue- something! And the feeling that it wasn't over. Why didn't it go away!?

When he felt the presence, it was just a little too late.

Sora was tackled from behind and pushed to the ground. He reacted by rolling over and punching back. The attacker punched back as well, but was no match for Sora's metal hands. Sora pulled off the mask and stared punching his face in.

"Okay! Stop! Please! I surrender!" The ANBU member was a blonde man. He looked up with a bloody face, breathing heavily as Sora lowed his hand.

"What do you want from me!?" Sora asked. He raised the fist, ready to punch again.

"I- I wasn't going after- Okay! Okay! I was going after you, but not at first!" The man stuttered. "W-we were ordered to go after the man. Br-brom was 'is name, I think. W-we didn't know you would be a part of it! I- I just wanted to cap-capture you just in cas-GAH!"

Sora lifted his fist from the face slowly. "Bastard!" He spat, punching him again. He took some blood from his cheek and licked it from his fingers. The man's eyes widened as the skeletal pattern formed on the skin.

"You know what?" He kicked his feet out, getting Sora off of him. He stood up and prepared to swing his own katana. "You really shouldn't underestimate the shinobi of the Konoha. Especially when they're ANBU!" He sent the sword through Sora's gut. Blood leaked out of the wound in huge amounts. It poured down his legs and to to the ground.

"Bastard, that really hurt!" Two metal hands grabbed the man and flung him to the ground.

"What the hell!?" The man cried out. Sora had barely flinched at the pain. "Do- do you even feel that!?"

"I just said it really hurt dumbass!" Sora shouted, "Hurts like hell!" He used both his legs and hands to scrape the blood around on the ground. He formed Jashin's insignia.

"Time to die~!" He gave a sick laugh.

* * *

The grass and ground was sprayed red. The ANBU was in tears now. He wasn't scared anymore. Just in pain. So much pain.

"Aw... it hurts doesn't it~?" Sora taunted. He was still standing by some miracle. Pain was erupting through both of their bodies and he was enjoying it so much!

If he was in this much pain, it meant so was the other. He felt how much the other was suffering, and it brought him such sweet pleasure knowing it.

_'One who doesn't know pain doesn't have the right to inflict such suffering on others.'_

"Just... end it... please... Please kill me!!" The man screamed out.

Sora snickered a little at his sobbing. "Alright. I'll kill you." He agreed. His body couldn't take much more anyway. It was straining him, biting at him to lie down and heal. Sora pushed the katana through his heart. The man uttered one last small scream, then dropped dead.

Some shuffling of feet came from behind him. The smile fell from Sora's face. Had he been caught? He quickly went around the trees and caught the spy. She was full-on crying.

The girl couldn't have been older than seven. Her eyes were brown and full of tears, blurring her vision. She wore a simple dress and her dirty-blonde hair was put in two buns. "W-why...!?" She sniffed, "Why'd you do that Metal Hands!? I- I thought you were a hero!"

Sora recognized her then. The girl walking with her older brother from that morning. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

The girls managed to slow down her crying enough to say. "Be-because I- I- I wanted to find you...-sniff- c-'cause I thought you were a hero!" She fell forward onto the ground and cried more and more. Sora paled and was left speechless.

Eventually the little girl's eyes refused to cry anymore. She was out of tears. "Why..." She sobbed, "Why'd you do it!?"

Sora sighed. "Firstly, he was the one who attacked me. I feel he deserved it. Secondly, I killed him for god. He was a sacrifice."

"S-sacrifice....!? B-b-but aren't those illegal? You can't even sacrifice sheep anymore 'cause of laws. -sniff- B-but humans!?"

"Mm-hm... my deity only accepts human sacrifices." He looked up at the stars.

"I am Jashin-sama's loyal follower. I exist only to kill for him. This is my destiny."

The girl got up from the ground. She balled up her hands into fists and began to scream.

"Well your god is retarded! Your religion is retarded! Killing people is wrong!! It's just wrong!! You're going to go to hell! You know that!? You're going to hell!! An- And I hope your god's the one who damns you there!!! 'Cause you're a bad follower of God and he hates you!!! FREAK!!!! "

The girl turned around and started to run back to the village as fast as her feet could go. Sora watched her go. His eyes shook and became bloodshot as her words repeated in his head over and over.

A kunai flew past the girl's face, cutting her cheek. Sora pulled the weapon back to him and licked the blood. His skin darkened and paled white and black. He flashed an insane grin from on top of the symbol in the ground. "I can't have any witnesses." He whispered.

* * *

The bodies were found the next day. The ANBU member was instantly put in a body bag and sent back to Konoha. The little girl was scratched with cuts all over her body. A large stab in the lung had killed her off.

Sora was red all over. He had to sneak into a house and spend over a hour in the shower to wash all the blood off. Even after that, his wounds stung. He wasn't sure how long the funeral would last, or how long the people living in the house would stay there. If he rested on a couch or bed, not only would he stain it and leave medical evidence, but he'd most likely fall asleep until someone found him. He had to keep moving.

He was a fast healer, but that didn't stop his body's complaining. He hadn't moved around this injured in a long time. He keep walking anyway. Sad thing was he didn't know where the hell he was going. He didn't know where he should be going.

* * *

In Amegakure there are clans, just as in any other Hidden Village. There are few, but they still exist. One of them was the Tokage Clan.

The Tokage Clan was most well known for two things. One, they they the carriers of the summoning scroll for lizards. Every member of the clan after reaching Genin rank would sign the scroll and learn from his or her parents how to summon a lizard. Two, the clan was power hungry. It started out a long time ago with just a few leaders, but the example was passed to their children. Soon the whole clan was that way.

There's a small rumor that runs through the retired elders of the clan. They say that seventeen years ago, the current head of the clan was passing a homeless person in the rain. War had taken away all he had and he was literally starving to death. He begged at the clan leader, who was reasonably wealthy at the time, for help.

The leader scoffed at him. "The question isn't 'what can I do for you?'. It's 'what can you do for me?'. You're a middle aged man without any future. You're doomed to die out here on the streets. You have no power. You can't help me and helping you with one small thing would be a waste my time considering your existence is meaningless."

He left the man on the street corner with nothing but sour words. The man swore loudly and cursed at the leader. He shouted "I know you! You're the leader of the Tokage Clan! Your lust for power is so great however, I don't even need to know your blood to see that you're nothing but greedy scum! You'll get your wish for power! But it'll blow up in your face!!!"

Normally such a story won't be told in the house of the Tokage, but the grandmothers gossiping couldn't ignore a fact.

About two and a half months after the supposed curse, the leader announced to the clan that his wife was pregnant with a child. The baby was born healthy and appeared to have a bright future.

The child of the leader surely could have been this power. But still, it was just a silly story that was told by old people growing duller by the day. No one was one hundred percent sure that the homeless man had even existed, never mind cursed the clan.

The leader's son did exist though. His name was Kenpatchi.

* * *

**Moons: I warned you! I am not responsible for your unholiday-ish suffering. (For those who are reading this waaaay in the future and are reallllly slow, I posted this chapter on Dec 23 2009)**

**Reviews are loved and rewarded with magical soda pop.  
**


	14. Chapter XIV

**Moons: Finally done! Three months... took me eff-ing long enough.**

**Anyway, because this story gets less reviews I will not update it as often (sorry), but I won't quit or let it die. I promise. I'm very sorry for the long wait. :(

* * *

**

No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow.

_~Euripides

* * *

_

"Kenpatchi." The elder looked down on the teen, so was sitting down on his knees with a smug smile on his face. "You are prepared to enter the up coming chunnin exams, correct?"

"Yes sir!" Kenpatchi replied full of enthusiasm. His father, the head of the Tokage Clan, smiled at the grandfather.

"Kenpatchi-kun has been training and learned new, powerful jutsu. His chakra control has greatly improved and he will he fly straight through the exams."

"Considering he can make it through the first exam this time." The grandfather said coldly, "He almost always messes up on the first exam. His chakra control and nin-jutsu are not the problem. His tai-jutsu is far beyond the standards of the exams. The problem is his mind! His brain! Not his body, not his chakra, but his brain! He isn't smart enough!

"He can't figure things out or even gather information!" The head looked at his son. Kenpatchi came in looking proud as ever, but now he was looking down, absorbing the words. He put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "He'll be fine this time round."

As they walked out, Kenpatchi spoke up. "Granddad's harsh sometimes."

"Ignore him. He just doesn't believe. But I do. You'll become a great shinobi of the rain."

"Thanks Dad... I turned sixteen back in November."

"So?"

"Last year! Nobody sixteen is still a genin and I'm sixteen and a half! No one wants to be on the same team as a failure like me."

"You are not a failure Kenpatchi!"

"...Thanks Dad..."

_Life here is so boring..._

* * *

The one stereotype that fit Kenpatchi was 'punk'. He was a muscular guy who wore a black sleeveless shirt and green pants with the headband sewn onto the left leg. His hair was also green and rarely ever combed, falling in the right side of his face. His face itself was tough and his clan's lizard-eyes made his glare creepy.

_Life here is so boring. I do nothing but train all day and sleep all night. I want to be free. I want to have fun! _

Though he wasn't fully aware of it, Kenpatchi felt trapped. His life was sheltered, grooming him to take his father's place as Leader of the Tokage one day.

Only problem he could see was he was stupid. No one really believed he had the intelligence to make it that far. He had heard constantly by former classmates that the only reason he graduated was because of his father. If he wasn't his son, he would have failed without a doubt.

He doubted himself a lot... but his dad was the one who was always there. The only one who truly believed in him and pushed him forward so he was stronger. Kenpatchi didn't get why everyone hated his dad. He loved his dad.

_'But that doesn't change the fact.' _He thought gloomy, kicking a pebble in his path. _'That the only thing he actually does is train me. I wanna go missions. I wanna see the world.' _

Rain started falling, as it often did in the city. Brel automatically took one of his two umbrellas and opened it.

_'I want to be someplace where I can see the sun or a tree. I want to get out of here.'_

* * *

_'Why the hell do I always get lost!?' _Exhaustion flooded through Sora's body. His legs didn't want to move anymore. And being lost with a map wet from rain didn't help the slightest.

This part of the world, Brom hadn't taken him before. Amegakure was a metropolis, everything in it filled with technology that made Sora feel like he was on a alien planet.

Desperate for shelter, he stopped at when he reached another area, almost cut off from the rest of the village. It was built more Eastern style and less modernized than the rest of the city. Sora entered the first building with an unlocked door.

Outside, it looked normal, but inside more technology. It wasn't like a laboratory or anything, but made so someone was to live there. He quickly found a bathroom and then proceeded to what he thought was a living room. His jaw fell down. These people were rich!

A wide-screen TV stood in front of a huge couch with what Sora assumed were surround-sound speakers in each corner. He looked in the next room at the kitchen. His stomach growled when entered. He opened a fully stocked fridge thinking _'They really won't miss one thing...' _One thing turned out to be an energy drink that was quick drained in a minute and replaced with another.

He smiled to himself and sat down on the couch-

A kunai sunk into the couch right next to his head. A man appeared out of no where in front of him. "Get the hell out of my house!!"

"...meh." Was all Sora could manage.

"You're breaking and entering! Get the hell out!!"

"...Sorry, I was just tired." _'I need someone to sacrifice anyway...' _"And- not to sound like a smart-ass but- I'm not breaking anything."

"This was you what you normally do?" The man aimed another kunai. His eyes were narrowed, thin slits like a reptile's or a cat's. Sora wondered for a second if they were always like that. "You miserable little bastard."

"Hey, I'm not that short!" Sora replied jokingly, pulling the kunai out of the couch. "Napoleon was a few, good inches shorter than me...I think."

"This isn't some kind of game. As head of this clan I have the power to take the law into my own hands."

"So... you're going to kill me 'cause I was tired and got into your house for a snack and a nap." He grinned. "Good luck."

* * *

"Dad, I'm back." No answer. "Hey Dad!" Kenpatchi yelled. Still no answer. "Daaaaad! You home!?" Nothing.

"Guess not." The teen mumbled, "Weird, he should be." He made his way to the living room and stopped when he got to the couch. It was covered in marks from something sharp.

"Dad...?! I stopped wanting a puppy when I was ten..." His dad still didn't reply. "Right... not home." He looked around some more and discovered a kunai buried into the a wall. He looked closer and saw a thin wire tied onto the end.

* * *

_His katana flew by striking at the opponent, but it was just a little too slow. He put his right arm forward and sent a kunai shooting out. The man dodged left causing the kunai to nail into the wall behind him. Swinging down with his own kunai, he cut through the wire just in case of a trap. The Jashinist cursed and swung his sword out again. This time it hit the arm, ripping through the white and green cloth and drawing blood. It would soon be all over._

* * *

"Hello...?" Kenpatchi called out again, glancing around as he walked. He stopped at one point. Blood lined the floor. "That's not good..."

He sped up, rushing into the next room. What he saw in there made him want to vomit. It would scar him.

His father was hung up on the wall, kunai pinning his hands and arms to it. A huge slash was across his gut, spilling out massive amounts of blood. There was also a cut in his arm, but that injury was nothing compared to the other. The rest of his body was bloody, but unmarked. His face had some small scratches, but the eyes were empty, staring blindly at the ground.

His dad was _dead!_

Kenpatchi took a couple steps back, staring in shock. He was dead...

"Dad... C'mon Dad, you're a shinobi! Y-you can't die! Sn-snap outta it!!" He stuttered jerking back tears. The dead body made no response. Corpses couldn't move or talk. Kenpatchi shook his head furiously. He was more than sad. He was pissed off. It couldn't be more obvious this was murder. In a swift motion, he yanked out one of the kunai.

He walked past his father, keeping his gaze away from the gory sight. "Dun worry, Dad." His expression was cold. "I'll avenge you. I promise, I will kill the one who murdered you."

He went outside and preformed the handsigns he knew for years. "Boar. Dog. Tiger. Monkey. Sheep." After preforming the handsigns, he fired out his hands and smoke appeared as he shouted, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu! (Summoning Technique).

A green komodo dragon now stood in front of him, swooshing it's tail side to side. Kenpatchi held out the bloody kunai that once held his dad up and allowed the lizard to sniff it. "Smell this, boy? It's my dad's blood. But there's another scent there too, isn't there." The komodo stepped back and moved it's head up and down in a nod. It stuck it's tongue in and out. Kenpatchi did the same back, communicating.

Once done talking, the miniature dragon sped off to follow the scent. Kenpatchi followed.

* * *

"_Oh Jashin-sama, I'm an idiot! Breaking into some guy's house without even thinking to check if their home! God I'm losing it! … Ever since Senpai left..."_

"Hey!"

Sora's thoughts stopped when he heard the cry and saw person running toward him. Rain headband on his leg and summoning animal at his side. There was no doubt he was a shinobi of this village.

"Can I help you?"

The animal- some kind of lizard- slide to a stop and circled him, sniffing the air. Sora looked back at the shinobi. His face looked familiar. "Have we met?" _'Idiot!! Now he's going to think of a crime of yours or a wanted add! Stupid!'_

The green-haired shinobi looked down at the lizard once and back at him. "No. But I think you met my dad."

"Who's your dad?" Sora noticed a lot of hate in the teen's eyes. Hurt too. He quickly prayed in his head for this not to be what he thought it was.

"You must not be from around here. I'm Tokage Kenpatchi. My father's Tokage Nori, Head of the Tokage clan." His glare was cold and is right eye showed and seemed to shine almost as he said, "You killed him."

Sora realized prayers won't work. It was what he thought it was. He choose the lesser of two evils and ran like hell. The lizard screeched and jumped on his right arm. Sora stumbled, losing balance and tripping on his own feet, but then regained it and shook the reptile off. It had stalled for just enough time for Kenpatchi to get ahead of him and be ready to punch his face in.

Sora was knocked to the ground. His jaw cracked loudly as he moved it again. "Son of a bitch..." He muttered, getting up. Kenpatchi wasn't wasting time. He reached back behind him and took an object in his hands.

"An umbrella!?" Sora sweatdropped and stared in disbelief. "Y-you're just now getting sick of the rain...?"

"Nah, but this wasn't exactly made for rain." Kenpatchi replied, opening the umbrella. "It was made for wind."

"Huh?"

"Lemme show you." He pushed chakra into the unbrella and swung it forward. "_Fūton: Kami Oroshi (Wind Release: Godly Wind from the Mountains)_" A vortex of wind came flying out, like it was pushed by the umbrella. It shot out at Sora headon, forcing him back into a nearby alley.

Kenpatchi smiled. The umbrella was his tool to hold his chakra; with it, he would never need handsigns.

"_Fūton: Kazekiri (Wind Release: Wind Cutter)" _

"Shit!" Sora used the walls to bounce off of and with his speed he could dodged the waves of wind coming at him. Kenpatchi cursed under his breath. He ran into the alley after Sora. Sora got out his kunai and prepared to throw.

* * *

"Sigh..." The blonde walked the streets alone. She hated the rain in this city. It wasn't anything like snow...

_**-slam- -thud- **_

The girl's eyes widened when she heard the noise. _'Thieves? Rapists? What the hell is that?!' _She stopped in front of the alley the alley the sounds had come from to inspect it.

A green-haired, muscular guy in dark clothes had another pinned to a wall. The other, about to be punched in the face, was smaller with a red jacket and brown, spiky hair pulled back. His arm shined almost. Metal! Automail!

"Sora...!?"

Sora looked over when he heard his name. The girl was about a year older than himself. She was small and didn't look strong, but had a scroll and headband proving her a ninja. She dressed in brown, baggy clothes, her short sleeves tied down with tape. Her hair grew out to her waist and covered her forehead protecter, so he couldn't make out the village.

A gust of wind came by and blew the hair out of the way, showing the damaged metal. Yukagakure.

"Natsuki...!?"


	15. Chapter XV

**Sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I've been focusing on Akatsuki 2.0. Hope you like**

* * *

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.  
~Martin Luther King, Jr.

* * *

"Na-natsuki..!"

Sora just stared at the girl in front of him. It had been maybe three years since they've seen each other. The puppet master could only stare back.

Kenpatchi spoke up, snapping them back to reality. "You two know each other?"

Sora glared back at his attacker. "Yeah, no shit we do." He got a hit in the side of his head in response. Natsuki groaned from the sidelines.

The lizard at Kenpatchi's feet suddenly chirped. The master looked down and caught it's meaning. "Shinobi are coming."

Natsuki glanced at the two boys. "Too bad. You'll be under arrest for sure."

"Wha-wait!" Kenpatchi yelled out to her. "We can, uh, talk this out at my house!"

* * *

"Nice place..." Natsuki mumbled as she walked in. Sora laid down on the couch and made himself right at home and she couldn't blame him. Kenpatchi's family was clearly upper class, quite the opposite of hers and Sora's.

"Wanna sit down?" Kenpatchi shoved a drink in her hand, grinning. Something was weird about this kid. His dad's killer was in his house, only a few feet away from him, but he seemed to have completely forgotten. No attacking, not even a glare in his direction.

"Er... thanks." She sat down wondering what had gotten into him. Both boys had explained the situation on the way there, but nether seemed to want to fight. Kenpatchi had clear reason to kill Sora, as his reason 'for god' wasn't exactly justi-

"Feeling okay, Suki-chan?"

Natsuki's train of thought crashed and she glared at him. "Suki-chan?"

Sora laughed. Kenpatchi grinned. "Well, it's cute and I think it matches you, so-"

"Natsuki. My name is Natsuki."

"Whatever." Sora snicker, stealing her drink and chugging it.

"How the fuck you're still alive is beyond me." She muttered. Looking back at Kenpatchi, she asked "Why haven't you killed him?"

"I thought he was on your side."

"_S/he's not!" _Both told him instantly. Kenpatchi groaned. "So why haven't _you _killed him, Suki-chan?"

Natsuki rolled her eyes. "Because even though he's an idiot, he's a powerful idiot. He's not normal. If I had the ability, he would have died three years ago."

"But you'll never have the ability." Sora smirked, finishing her drink.

"So...you're immortal or something?"

"Exactly."

"Bullshit. No one's immortal. There's no such thing." Natsuki disagreed.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too." He put the cup on the side table, and stared at it, getting bored.

There was a dull silence in the room. Kenpatchi broke it, "So what's this oh-so-great religion of yours again?"

"Jashinism." Sora answered. "And it's ten times better than whatever you believe here."

"Uh...we follow Pein."

"Pein?"

"The leader of Rain Village, bonehead." Natsuki explained. "He took down their old leader and declared himself god. And with some Kekkei Genkai of his, he has the power to live up to the title."

"Ahahahahahaha~"

"It's not _that _crazy, is it?" Kenpatchi asked after Sora had fallen onto the floor and kept laughing anyway.

"Human leader as a god? It's stupid, but not worth laughing over."

"St-stupid!"

"Hahahahahaha~"

"Well, yeah. Besides it's stupid to believe in god in the first place if you ask me, but really? A human god?"

"It can work...I think"

"Hahahaha...y-you're kidding, right?"

"No..." Kenpatchi muttered.

"W-wow..." Sora pulled himself up. "And I thought I knew what a stupid religion was. You just proved me wrong."

"Sora, you're asked him to kill you." Natsuki told, not showing a bit of interest.

"Oh...yeah...why haven't you killed me yet Ka- … what was your name again? Kamaru?"

"Kenpatchi." The teen glared. "And I haven't cause...well...I dunno. Maybe cause Suki-chan's here."

"Would you stop calling me that?" Natsuki groaned.

"Nah, I like it" Kenpatchi snickered back. "Anyway, you did what you did for a stupid religion, right?"

"It's not stupid!" Sora snapped, "Especially compared to yours!"

"Your religions are both stupid." Natsuki sighed, leaning her head back. "Are you going to kill each other or not!"

Both boys feel silent.

"I don't have to kill him, even though I kinda want to." Sora said finally. "One sacrifice will be fine for now."

"How do I kill Sora if you can't, Suki-chan?"

"You're not gonna stop calling me that, are you?" Natsuki moaned again. "Though you have a point. I dunno how. Looks like you two just have to live..."

"She's right, Kenpatchi. You couldn't kill me." Sora grinned.

"I guess..." Kenpatchi looked down. "but..what am I gonna do now?"

"Now?"

"Dad's dead... everyone else'll hate me. I'm not my dad. I'm not even a chunin. I won't be given the power of the clans head..." He swallowed a little. "The others... kill each other for power."

"Kill?" Sora repeated, suddenly interested. Kenpatchi nodded.

"Well then." Natsuki spoke up, "You stay and you die like your dad. If that's the situation, it sounds like being missing-nin is the only choice."

"N-no it's not!" Kenpatchi almost yelled, "I- I can fight back! I'm not stupid! I can kill them!"

"Can I watch?"

"No, Sora, you can't." Natsuki replied, "You owe me, remember?"

"Owe you? You're kidding, right? What did you do?"

Natsuki reached over and took off one of Sora's glove, relieving the metal and causing Kenpatchi to stare. She held out her hand placed it on Sora's left hand. There was quick, precise focus of chakra and a sharp shock of electricity hit Sora. Natsuki pulled away holding up a few metal pieces.

"Wh-what are those!" Sora gasped.

"I disconnected the first joints in your fingers, so this is the part where the nail would be if you had nails." Natsuki tossed the little bits of metal around in her fingers.

"G-give them back!" Sora shouted, reaching for them. Natsuki swiped her hand away. "No. Besides, it's not like anyone but me can put them back. I _built you._"

Sora stopped reaching and a look of defeat fell on his face.

"You still owe me, Sora." Natsuki said. She held out the metal and reached for Sora's hand to reattach them. "I need your help. Get me into Hayashigakure"

"HAYASHIGAKURE!"Sora yelled louder. "N-no way."

"Impossible." Kenpatchi agreed. "No one knows where that place is."

"I do." Natsuki said. "I have a map. Problem is I don't know how to get in and the way there is dangerous. But is you don't want to, I can just take apart your entire arm."

Sora groaned and let her take his hand. "Fine. But why the fuck you wanna go there? It's just criminals and people I prefer not to meet again."

"Good business. Simple fact is you can't get a job as missing-nin. Life's hard." Natsuki spoke as she sent chakra shocks into Sora's metal. "Go to a city like Hayashigakure, and you have all kinds of people willing to hire to do dirty deeds shinobi would arrest you for."

Sora twitches his fingers to find the joints worked perfectly. "Whatever. Deals a deal. Lets go."

Natsuki nodded in agreement and got up. "Thanks for the stay, Kenpatchi-san."

"No problem." Kenpatchi smirked, "Next time you see me, I'll be head of this clan."

"Whatever." Sora walked out the door. "Good bye."

Natsuki sighed. _'Did he even say sorry for killing Kenpatchi's father?'

* * *

_

_'Dad's dead. _I should move on. Shinobi don't stop for deaths. _Sora didn't care. _He kills for a living. He shouldn't. _What will I do without him? _You kill your competitors of course.'

Kenpatchi went to his room and got out some things. Tools for killing. He seals them into a scroll. He remembered his cousins out of the country and packed clothes to make a trip.

Kenpatchi heard the door open. Putting the scroll in his pocket, he went to the front of the house and waved. "Hey Granddad."

"Hello, Kenpatchi-kun. How's your father?"

"Er..." Kenpatchi felt the butterflies in his stomach kick in like mad. His dad wasn't just _dead. _He was still _pinned to the wall!_

"Well?"

"I...um...he..er...isn't here."

"He isn't?"

"No. So if you're l-looking for him or something, go somewhere else."

The grandfather glared. "Is this some kind of joke, Kenpatchi?"

"J-joke?"

"Your father is head of the clan for god's sake! He was supposed to meet with me hours ago! Goddamn him!" He stepped further inside.

"u-um, I know for _sure_ he's not here right now!"

"You're hiding something boy. You never were the best liar." He shoved Kenpatchi aside. "Nori, get out here! You're a Tokage, goddammit!"

"G-grandda-"

"Shut up! Tokage Nori, get yo-" He froze up. There was the corpse. Still pinned to the wall as it had been since early that night.

"G-granddad?"

"You killed him."

The butterflies in his stomach might as well had exploded. "Wh-what!"

"Like I don't know the trick, Kenpatchi. Kill another for power. If your father died, that would make you automatically leader of the clan."

"B-but I didn't-"

"Don't bother! You're not leader anyway. You're a murderer!"

"I can explain-"

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

A Chameleon appeared by the elders side, it's massive height rivaling the adult's.

"Tokage Kenpatchi, you are a murderer and a traitor to this clan. You will be arrested and taken in by the shinobi of this clan and of Amegakure."

The Chameleon's skin changed as it faded.

Kenpatchi panicked. Everyone would think _he _did it. They would come after him and arrest him like a criminal.

He turned his back and ran away.

* * *

Natsuki and Sora were nearing the edge of Amegakure. It must had been around midnight by then. Neither one talked to the other and the only noise was an occasional yawn from Sora.

"SORA! SUKI-CHAN!"

"Oh Jashin!" Sora turned around to see Kenpatchi running in their direction.

He stopped in front of them and despite the run, barely tried to catch him breath.

"Take me with you! Please!"

"Huh?" Sora blinked. Natsuki sighed, "Why?"

"They think I killed him...th-they think I killed dad."

"Nice going, bonehead. Look what you did."

"Shut up!"

"So can I join! Please! Just to whatever-that-village-was!"

"..." Natsuki and Sora exchanged glances.

"How good of a shinobi are you?" Natsuki asked.

"I- I'm not a smart one, but I can fight! I've trained in everything! I know a lot of justu! W-well not genjutsu but-"

"Whatever. Sora, if it's okay with you, keep him."

"Really!" Kenpatchi grinned.

Sora groaned, "Why?"

"Strength in numbers. Shinobi are organized into three-man teams for a reason. He looks strong, and assuming what he told us is true, he won't drag us down.

"On the other hand though, he's probably a spoiled brat, being the son of the clan's leader. Treated like a prince. Always having money and able to buy whatever he wants. He won't last two days now that all that's gone. Though it's this or jail..."

Kenpatchi's hand clinched into a fist. "That's not true."

"Not from what I saw in your house." Sora took Natsuki's side. "Me and her, we had small, families not even real parents in them, not a rich-ass clan. We had to work our whole lives, even before we became outlaws. You'll never understand what it's like to live like us."

"..." Kenpatchi couldn't figure out a response to this one.

As the two were about to leave he said, "I have a Kekkei Genkai." They stopped.

Kekkei Genkai. There was something they could never, ever have.

"We're listening." Natsuki said, turning around.

He activated it. His green eye widened a little and the pupil became a thin slit like cat's or a lizards.

"_Tokagehitomi (lizard eye) _focuses on chakra. Mine gets larger and stronger and I can feel the chakra of others a hell lot better." He smirked and added, "Like how Sora's is barely in him but Suki-chan's is so po-"

"Yeah, yeah. I suck at chakra! I get it!"

"What else?" Natsuki didn't even smile.

"Nothing really. Except my eyesight. It'll get worse when I activate it. It'll be fine close or mid-range, but fighting long-range is harder. I won't be able to see faces."

"...It's nothing super." Natsuki concluded, "but it's better than nothing. What's can you tell right now from your kekkei genkai?"

"There are...three people coming. Chakra's average."

"So probably chunin level?"

"Possibly."

Natsuki reached behind her and pulled on her scroll for paper. "Here's the deal, Kenpatchi."

"Deal?"

"We have enough with us for one on one with these chunin. I know for sure Sora and I can handle it. Question is if you can. If you can take down your guy, you can join us. If not, we let him have you."

"B-but I'm still genin."

Sora groaned and pulled out his katana. "Then just turn yourself in and save us the trouble."


	16. Chapter XVI

**Moons: School back. Don't be too surprised by lack of update. Thank you for your support ^^  
**

* * *

Lair, Lair,

Pants on fire,

Hanging from a

Telephone wire

_~William Blake_

* * *

Sora's eyes were now closed, pendent dangling close to his face as he prayed. Natsuki and Kenpatchi just stared ahead.

Kenpatchi's eyes widened when he saw the incoming figures. "They're from my clan!"

"That's good. Then you know their jutsu." Natsuki said. Kenpatchi's eyes shook, but he didn't say anything. The blonde ignored him and bit down on her fingers. Drops of blood appeared and she smeared it onto her scroll. A poof of gray smoke raised and two puppets appeared.

One was entirely made of metal and looked like it had been scrapped together. It resembled a canine, landing in front of her on all fours with a metal hook of a tail swinging behind it and head arched forward almost like a snarling wolf or husky.

The other one was maybe roughly nine or ten feet tall and was wooden. It was a human figurine and looked very simple, like the miniature ones that puppet masters used when they first started training.

The team of chunin got closer and Sora took a battle stance. Kenpatchi hesitated and grabbed the umbrellas on his back.

They got close enough to see details. There was a girl and two boys. They looks so much alike, it was obvious they were siblings. They even had matching chunin vests with the Tokage clan symbol. Their hair color varied from dark green to blue, but they had matching

The girl's hair was pulled back into a pony tail, headband on her forehead. Quite a few scrolls were attached to her leg. The other two didn't have any weapons except an average kunai pouch. One of them wore a hat that hid most of his hair. His headband was at his waist while his brothers was sew on the front of the chunin vest.

"God, Kenpatchi that bastard! He killed Uncle-"

"His own dad..."

"That's why we got to get him." The sister told them.

The girl moved first, whipping out one of her scrolls. A countless number of kunai and shurikin shut out.

"Let me." Natsuki said, but Kenpatchi panicked and flung out his umbrella. A gust of wind flew out and deflected about half the knifes. The others continued on their path.

Natsuki groaned and twitched her fingers. Her wooden puppet moved and held out its arms. The weapons coming at them instantly stopped in midair. Both guys on her side looked at the puppet, then her, awestruck.

"This puppet is special." Natsuki mover her hand again and the kunai turned around and faced the siblings.

"It's a...magnet...!" The sister mumbled.

Natsuki's arm thrust out and the kunai followed the motion. The brothers dodged, but the girl in the center had to struggle to defect those her direction. She focused chakra into her kunai, her kekki genki activated, and swung it around at an extreme speed. Not a cut on her. Light green chakra glowed in her hand and swirled around the kunai.

Natsuki swung her hands rapidly. Her canine puppet separated into individual pieces. Something in her mind called her stupid for pulling out her best technique so soon, but she continued anyway. The metal puppet pieces attached themselves to the wooden figure, until the head was put on the very top like a helmet.

In the end, it reminded Natsuki of an armored werewolf. Her ultimate puppet. She moved her arms and made it attack the girl.

"Kenpatchi."

Kenpatchi just stared at the kid in the hat. He recognized him as his cousin. He was the youngest of his siblings at fifteen and had trained with Kenpatchi since they were little kids. He remembered he used fire ninjustu.

"Kenpatchi-san, we don't have to fight." He said softly and calmly. "You can just walk back home with us. We can talk it out."

"Y-you won't hurt me!"

The kid shook his head no. "Of course not."

Sora looked left, right, left again. The third sibling was no where in sight. Above? He looked up. No one.

"Dammit where is h- ack!" A hand shot up and grabbed Sora at the ankle. Sora gave the hand a sharp kick and jumped back.

The entire body shot up, fist first. Sora tilted his head back to avoid being punched. He looked again at his opponent. His arm was completely covered in rock from nin-jutsu.

_'What's stronger? Rock or metal?' _He shot his hand out to punch, the shinobi's hand blocking it easily.

Flames flew at Kenpatch, causing him to throw his arms up in defense. With no sleeves to protect him, dark burn marks covered his arms quickly.

"Wh-what the hell!" He yelled, panting.

His little cousin was emotionless. "You fall for tricks too easily." He made more hand signs.

"It's a good thing grandpa caught you. You would have failed as clan leader." At the last hand sign, the kid held his fingers close to his mouth and flames erupted.

Battling back and forth against Sora was getting the earth master pissed off. Nothing seemed to break his defense. He made the hand signs. _"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"_

A yellow lizard about five feet long shot out of his palms and flew at Sora. It landed on his face, blinding him. Sora cussed and yelled, but was unable to get it off.

The chunin smirked and gave him a forceful punch, sending him flying. The lizard jumped off and landed safely next to its master.

Sora landed hard on his back. There was fire licking the ground next to him. He opened his eyes slowly. He saw the flames next to him and thought. There had to be a way to beat him.

He pushed himself up. His eyes darted to Kenpatchi's battle, watching the next attack come at him. He smirked and charged at the Tokage in front of him. The teenager smirked back. "Come and get it."

Sora reached out his hand and lowered it down. It reached into the flames burning away the grass. The yellow lizard appeared to not had noticed this and charged at Sora. An insane smile grew on Sora's face.

The lizard's master called out its name, but it was too late The lizard had jumped up to tackle, but Sora's hand was outstretched. The glove had burned off into ash and the metal arm was fully exposed. It was still on fire!

The glowing hand then grabbed the lizard and burned it alive! It let a high pitched squeal as the fire began to peel its skin off! It's insides felt like they were melting!

The dead lizard was tossed to the ground, small flames still eating at the half gone body. It's owner blinked back tears. Before he could do anything else, Sora was in front of him. The metal was still bright red and extremely hot.

"Got'cha!"

"GGGGGAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the scream.

Sora was on top of his opponent. His hand was pressed against his face. The teen below him was screaming his lungs out, tears falling out of his eye. All the skin on the left side of his face melted away, his left eye burning up in the heat. The right side of his face burned and cracked from heat.

Sora's eyes grew bloodshot and he let out a small, creepy laugh. He pressed his hand down harder, causing the screams to grow louder and louder until the one on the ground began sobbing softly.

His sister was the first to move. She pulled out a concealed weapon, Natsuki recognized as a Tantō. The knife-like weapon slashed at Sora. The Jashinist got taken by surprise and knocked away. The youngest of the trio got between Sora and his siblings quickly.

"I-it's so..hot..."

"C-calm down." The girl's fingers glowed with pale green chakra. She gently reached down and ran her hand over the wounded face. He groaned when they first touched, but calmed down after a while. The medical-ninjutsu, however, could only do so much.

_'It's no good. He needs a hospital.'_

She gave a signal to her brother, who managed to nod back even while a crazed Sora was trying to get past him.

All three of them disappeared.

Natsuki sighed. Kenpatchi blinked, trying to figure out what had happened. Sora threw his katana down and screamed. "FFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!"

Natsuki groaned more. "Oh shut up, bonehead. That's a victory. Be happy."

More blood rushed to Sora's eyes and the blonde thought for a moment he was going to attack her and mentally took back her words.

Instead, he dropped down to his knees, grabbed his rosary, and prayed.

"What's he doing?" Kenpatchi asked.

"Praying."

"Why?"

"Because," Sora stopped for a second. "I sinned." He instantly went back to praying at a fast pace.

"Just let him." Natsuki said, putting her puppet back into its scroll. "Oh and congratulations. You passed."

Kenpatchi blinked again. "Passed?"

"You did an decent job, good considering that they were family of yours and of a higher rank." Her look grew hard. "You're not a danger traveling with us. You've proven that. Fall behind however, and we won't save you from whatever shinobi catches you. Understood?"

"Y-yeah, ma'am." He forced a smile

She didn't smile back. "Do you have anything to disguise yourself?"

"Disguise?"

Natsuki rolled her eyes. "You'll be recognized and targeted easily the way you are now." She tossed him a kunai. "At the very least, cut your hair."

* * *

Sora opened his eyes and got up to his feet again.

Kenpatchi stood in front of him, hair now cut short and combed to appear spiky. His outfit had changed to a dark outfit of black and green. The top was a keikogi with his clan symbol near the heart. "Use this for night training." He explained, when Sora gave him the odd look. "I'm gonna make it my permanent clothes. Harder to recognize me then."

"Whatever." Sora shrugged.

"So, how'd you sin?" Kenpatchi asked. "I don't get your religion at all."

"Jashin-sama demands I kill." Sora mumbled, thinking back at his mistake. "All my fights should be to the death. I can't injure without killing the injured off."

"...so you sinned by..."

"By letting that bastard remain alive after I burned him." Sora said darkly.

"Oh..." Kenpatchi ran his fingers though his hair and looked back at Natsuki, silently hoping for someone less insane.

Natsuki at the moment was looking through Kenpatchi's bag. "You packed okay." She told him, sensing he was watching. "You need to bring as much money as you can next time. And better food. About half of this will spoil if you don't eat it."

"I grabbed what I could!"

"Plan ahead next time you grab." She pulled out a toothbrush, looked at it for a second, then put it back in. "You'll have to find your own toothpaste. I use only use mouthwash."

* * *

Dawn rose. All three were walking and dead tired.

"Where are we headed again?"

"Hayashigakure..." Sora growled.

"Okay, cranky, just wondering."

"_I'm not cranky!"_

"You are and it's cause you're tired. We're all 'cranky'." Natsuki said in a flat tone.

"You're always cranky, ice bitch."

"Shut _up!_" Natsuki snapped.

"Are we there yet?"

"_No!"_

_'It's a looooong way to Hayashigakure.' _Natsuki hung her head. "Kenpatchi. Get out the money you took with you and count it. Nicest inn we can afford in the next town."

"Finally, thank sweet Jashin-sama!"

Kenpatchi pulled some ryo out of his pocket. Before he started to count, he spoke up. "You know what's kinda sad. You guys are the closest I've had to friends in ages and now my only chance of an alley. Now I say that my best friends are a psychopathic, killer for god and creepy girl who never smile-"

He shut up when he felt the death glares burning into his skin. "Uh... 100 ryo, 200 ryo, 300 ryo..."

* * *

**I'm sorry for not giving the cousins names. I just didn't want to. -fails-**


	17. Chapter XVII

_Each one prays to God according to his own light._

_~Mohandas Gandhi_

* * *

Natsuki splashed the water in his face. "Don't drink that you idiot!"

Kenpatchi blinked rapidly and wiped off his face. "What the hell was that for?"

"That's river water."

"So?"

"You don't get out of the village much, do you?" Natsuki continued with out waiting for an answer. "The water in the villages are purified to be cleaner to a point that your body can't drink natural water from the wild."

"Like river water?"

She nodded.

"Why not?"

"Because it'll make you sick. If you drink it, you'll puke it right back up."

"She's right." Sora commented, thinking back and making a sickened face. "I learned that the hard way."

Kenpatchi held up his canteen. "I guess I should get rid of this then. I just refilled it."

He sighed as he dumped the water into the river. He had only been traveling with them for a few days now, and Natsuki took charge of him. She would point out something he was doing wrong and every once in a while Sora would pop in to their argument and agree with her.

It made sense. Natsuki was intelligent and knew what she was doing and Sora knew from experience. He was lucky to have gone on a B-rank mission before and barely knew anything about life on the road.

He thought camping would be fun, but the other two both seemed like they would do anything to sleep inside in a bed at night. He thought money wouldn't be an issue because they would steal, but it was the other way around. They stole when they knew money was an issue. He had made the mistake of bringing up how exciting it would be to travel the world. They corrected him instantly on that one.

They weren't traveling. They were running. In fact, they would be grateful to be able to stay in one place for a long while. If you traveled, it wasn't for enjoyment but more for a mission.

Like right now. Headed to a village filled with felons and criminals and- according to his female friend- people who hired felons and criminals to do dirty work. It was a mission to make money.

"I've heard this is the last road to the city." Natsuki said after walking a little bit and reaching an odd road that led into swampy area.

"What's so bad about it?" Kenpatchi asked. "Besides, you'll get gunk all over your shoes and shit."

"I've seen very few people come out of that path, Kenpatchi. Going down that path is like going through hell."

"It's not that bad." Sora remembered back. "Well...it wasn't when I went here with my Senpai."

"Senpai?"

"You finally got rid of him and grew up?" Natsuki remembered Brom from her first meeting with Sora.

Sora didn't say anything, but shivered a little.

"I dun get it." Kenpatchi mumbled.

Natsuki hissed back, "He died you idoit! Don't talk about it?"

His eyes widened and he whispered, "How do you know if you just asked?"

"Didn't you see how he reacted? He's still recovering from losing him."

"There's a sign." Sora said suddenly.

"Sign? Kenpatchi repeated.

"You have to show some sort of sign to show you're a friend of the village." He brought his hand to his head, frustrated. "If only I can remember what."

Natsuki sat down on a rock and thought with him.

Kenpatchi sat in the grass across from her. He couldn't possibly think of a sign. Too hard. He found himself staring at the missing-nin.

He knew she was pretty. Prettiest who had talked to him he thought. She didn't try to show off her chest like most girls he knew and maybe had even attempted to hide it in her baggy brown clothes. He didn't care. Girls who showed them off were sluts. Her hair was maybe the prettiest part about her. It was so _long _and a pretty pale blonde color. Made her deep blue eyes stand out more-

"Got it."

Her words made him flinch and turn pick. He was _staring _at her. Had she noticed?

"If the people had to give some sort of symbol, we have to look for similarities."

"Similarities?" Sora repeated softly.

"I doubt the symbol is something like a handsign that's only done once."

"I don't think it was." Sora agreed.

"Right. It's too hard to spot. So we're looking for marking of some kind. A marking that at least most of the people going on that path have."

"Like a mark on the face?" Kenpatchi thought of the facepaint that some shinobi choose to wear.

"No..no..too obvious." Natsuki rested her head on her hand and continued to think. "Something like clothing would be a good start. They all wear blue, or have a scarf? Something like that."

"...possible. But Sempai never gave me anything when we went here. And I never wore anything special last time I came here ether."

"What'd you wear?"

"More or less the same I have now." Sora said. His outfit really hadn't changed much over the years.

"Guessing at this point is too hard." Natsuki sighed. "We'll get no where. Besides, we still have to see what other people have with them."

"So we're stuck here?" Sora released suddenly. "We came all this way to sit and watch!"

Natsuki shrugged. "That or commit suicide by running into that place."

Sora realized her point. He sighed and sat down.

Kenpatchi looked over at him. He knew he would get bored eventually...

"Wanna train?"

* * *

Thought she would never admit it, Natsuki was jealous. She was a puppet master and never fought physically.

She hardly ever trained her body. She was too skinny, so skinny it was almost unhealthy. Her arms were like twigs and couldn't pull herself up with just them. She wasn't fast, but average in speed and lost her breath easily. She could throw small weapons such as kunai easily and accurately. Her chakra control was master's level and she skillfully mastered controlling her self-made puppets. In school, she could be top of the class in anything that involved thinking.

But Taijustu was something she could never master. And both boys with her clearly had it down.

They were attacking each other at extreme speeds, movements a blur. Each kick, each block, each punch, was pure instinct like both had done it before a million times.

When they realized how they weren't improving, Kenpatchi wiped out his weapon and threw a Wind Release jutsu at him. Sora saw through it and flipped back to avoid it. Midair, he reached up his sleeve and pulled out hidden shurikin. He threw them in the shinobi's direction. Kenpatchi reacted with another Wind Release, flinging the weapons in another direction-

Toward Natsuki.

She ducked in time, them narrowly missing the top of her head and one deflecting off her forehead protector.

"...you guys should stop. You've trained enough."

"Yeah." Sora agreed, sitting down. He looked tired.

"Kay." Kenpatchi agreed, "Just don't puke up or anything Sora."

Natsuki looked at him oddly. "Why would he vomit?"

Kenpatchi blinked. "You seriously don't know?"

"No."

The older boy grinned widely, feeling smarter for once. "Stress on the body. Overworking yourself will make you feel dizzy, give you a headache or upset stomach. It's a good thing, cause it means your building muscle and all. You'll just have to take a break to puke it up."

"I guess it makes sense..." Natsuki mumbled. "Stress does do that. I didn't think it was that extreme though."

Something rubbed against Kenpatchi's leg. He looked down and saw his Komodo dragon at his side. The dragon stop it's tongue out a number of times.

Kenpatchi looked back up at the other two. "Someone's coming."

There were two someones. A strong looking man with a scar running down his neck and an older woman with a walking staff. The man held a lantern in his left hand.

The three watched from a high area, safely away from the travelers.

The man held the lantern out in front of him. He lit a match and lit the lantern up. Red light came from it, colored by the glass surrounding the flame.

Sora's eyes grew larger as he stared at the light.

_His sempai carrying him on his back, giving him one last warning to keep his eyes peeled holding his red lantern ahead of them to light the way. _

_The shinobi in the village giving him a red lantern to light is way, because 'it's getting dark and you need something to see in that forest.' _

_The signal..._

"It's the red lantern."

"You remember now?"

Sora nodded. "I was never told it was the signal, but I was given a red lantern when I traveled on my own. And when with Brom-sempai. He carried a red lantern. Just like that."

"But you were never told it was the signal."

"Never."

Natsuki thought for a second. Then she summoned up the lantern they had with them from her scroll.

"That's no good." Sora said, seeing its clear glass. "It has to be red."

"It appears you're right, bonehead." Natsuki said, putting it back into the scroll.

"So what'do we do, Suki-chan?" Kenpatchi asked. "Get a new one?"

"There's not a glass workshop or store that sells it in miles." Natsuki groaned.

She tightened the strap carrying the massive scroll and stood up. "Get moving. We're following them."

* * *

They followed the adults from a safe distance where the light was still clearly visible. About an hour into it, Kenpatchi picked up something. "Guys?

"What do you think it is?" He held up a small, dirty object that fit easily in his hand. It was shaped somewhat like a solid circle with twig like material coming out of it and forming a triangle. There was dry blood on it.

Natsuki took it and examined it. "It's a vertebrae."

"A what?"

"I think that's a bone in your spine." Sora replied.

"That's right." Natsuki agreed. She studied it. 3 holes instead of one and smaller in size. "From the cervical region- near the neck."

"Where'd it come from?" Sora asked.

The answer came from a sharp snap of a twig. Kenpatchi's dragon snapped another one to get their attention. He was standing over a human head.

It wasn't much of a head anymore. The eyes were gone from their sockets. The skin was rotting away and the hair was almost all gone. Insects were buzzing around it, landing on it and feasting. The upper neck was open, and looked like it had been ripped there.

"Eww!" Kenpatchi yelled out. Sora cringed a little and Natsuki looked a little creeped out herself.

The blonde went up and examined it for a second. "It looks like it was ripped off in a rush. Not intensional. Doesn't matter. Lets keep moving."

Sora raced ahead, followed by the guy and the girl behind him. He blinked. "Where's the light?"

The glowing red light ahead of him was fading. He panicked and sped up. He could hear Kenpatchi yell something from behind him, but didn't listen. He ran, leaping from branch to branch. He felt something wet on his head. Rain. He wiped it off and kept running. The light grew dimmer.

He didn't stop. He keep running and running, not looking where he was going. He didn't notice until he was up in the air that there wasn't a branch ahead of him.

Sora screamed and feel down. What he expected to be the ground below him, wasn't hard. It was wet. Mud hit his face and he remembered this was a swamp. Splashing, he pulling himself up out of the filthy water. It was swallow and came up to his waist. Muck covered him from head to toe. He coughed, spitting liquid out of his mouth.

The red light was gone.


	18. Chapter XVIII

Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.

_~Chanakya  
_

* * *

"_That damn idiot!"_

"He ran the other way." Kenpatchi said, looking over his shoulder.

"Of course he did."

"Then..why are we headed this way?"

"Because he's not our problem."

"Huh!" Kenpatchi looked back at the blonde, jaw dropped. Natsuki looked back at him, saw his expression, and groaned.

"Remember what we said to you when you joined us?"

"Yeah."

"What did we say to you?"

"Er..." Kenpatchi thought back. "Something 'bout proving myself."

"And proving that you could keep up." Natsuki said, her eyes now glued to the path ahead of them. The red light remained in their sight.

"The same goes for Sora. He's no different." Natsuki continued. "If he can't keep up, we're not going to bother with him. Why should we get lost in this damn place for his sake?"

"But I thought you said you need him."

"I said I needed him to get the Hayshigakure. Now I know how to get there and I don't need him." She continued. The light faded a little and she speed up just a bit to keep it close.

Kenpatchi followed just behind her.

"You know...if you ever fall behind, I'd go back for you."

The snow missing-nin almost stopped and for just that moment there was some color on her pale skin. "...er...thank you."

"Mm-hm." The other shinobi passed her, grinning a little.

Natsuki groaned again.

* * *

"Fucking mud; fucking swamp; fuckin' swamp water; Fuck it all!" Sora shouted. He wiped some sludge off his face with his sleeve and waded through the thick waters.

He believed anyplace would be better at the moment. The shitty Kumogakure; The freezing Yukigakure; The never ending rain of Amegakure; Anywhere that didn't have a swamp!

He felt something rub against his leg and a chill went up his spine. That felt almost nothing like a fish. He went faster.

There was a tree shooting out of the waters just a couple feet away from him. If he could get there, he would grab it's low branches and pull himself out of there. He made his way over and reached to grab it. His gloved hand wrapped around it and he began to pull himself up.

The water below splashed around furiously. A flat, scaled head shot out and closed it's jaws around Sora's right, free hand. Sora yelled out and tried to shake free. The one holding him, a giant alligator, held firmly. The sleeve ripped, but the metal arm couldn't tear. Sora reached to his side and whipped out his katana. He swung it at the gator's face.

The reptile screeched, hissing harshly. It's eyes were hit by the blade edge and the blinded gator opened his jaw and retreated.

Before it could get back in the water, Sora flung out three wired kunai. They stuck into the gator's head and killed it. The green body sunk into the water. Sora took a few deep breathes and pulled the kunai back into the arm.

No damage done. He started climbing. _"Damn, I got to get out of this place!"_

* * *

"Is it just me, or is the light getting dimmer?"

"It's just because it's getting late." Natsuki assured. "It's not going to be a problem. Besides, they'll notice soon and relight it."

On Kenpatchi's back, his lizard dug it's claws tighter into the shirt. "O-ow. Stop stabbing me."

Natsuki rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry!" Kenpatchi said quickly when he noticed. "It doesn't like swamps. Komodo Dragons like warm, dry areas."

"Then why did you bring it then? It won't be needed."

The lizard clawed at Kenpatchi more, bumping it's head into his.

"Cause some thing's bothering him."

"Like how it's cold and we-"

_**SCCCRRREEEEEEEEEEE**_

Something shot out of trees barely giving them enough time time to dodge. Kenpatchi got on a tree branch, lizard clinging to his back. Natsuki landed on her feet, but slid on the mud and feel just below Kenpatchi.

"Actually I think that was bothering him."

Natsuki wanted to hit him for such and obvious and stupid comment, but stared ahead eyes wide. The thing slivered around and glared with it's large white head.

She was staring at a giant snake. Maybe not giant, she was sure there were some much, much bigger in the summoning world, but it seemed large as hell at the moment. Twenty, twenty-five or so feet long, with a head that would go up almost to her waist in height. It's eyes were a fiery orange and glared so hard they seemed to glow.

A memory of data flowed back to her from her days as a little girl. Studying foreign animals that couldn't survive their cold. Snakes could dislocate their jaw to eat their prey. They would stretch their jaws open to eat things multiple times bigger than them.

She shook the flashback from her head and summoned her puppet. The dog served as armor. She flicked her fingers and backed herself against the tree. The metal got in front of her. The torso area directly in front, head on top almost a helmet, the limbs locked at the sides to cover any open spots.

A second later her ears rung from the clang of metal as the snakes head clashed with her shield.

Kenpatchi jumped down from the branch, landing on the snake. It hissed and snapped helplessly trying to bite it's attacker. The guy on top got off. As the snake charged, he ducked and it went flying over him.

Natsuki undid her sheild. "Get it upside down." She ordered, making her dog puppet charge into the battle from the distance.

Kenpatchi dodged the jaws as they were extending. The beast looked even bigger now. It's jaw was barely hooked and was bitting down rapidly. A large fang scratched down the shinobi's sleeve, but nothing else could do much damage.

As the snake brought it's head up to strike down again, he whipped out one of the umbrella's on his back.

* * *

"_Umbrella?" A younger, almost genin, Kenpatchi whined. He held the white object in his hands, giving his dad a disappointed look. "You promised me a really cool weapon that few people ever used."_

"_Not all weapons are blades Kenpatchi-kun." His father said calmly. "What did sensei say when you had your charka tested?"_

"_He said it was really strong?"_

"_And."_

"_Er...oh yeah! He said I was a wind-type user!"_

"_Do you know what that means?"_

"_That jutsu that use wind will be stronger for me, right?"_

"_And easier for you to learn." The clan head nodded. _

"_It'll also give you a slight advantage over your cousins." His mother noted, watching her two strong shinobi from the porch. "A wind type user is very rare for a Tokage."_

"_Your mother's right." Nori Tokage agreed. "Usually it's fire or earth type charkra in our clan. Every once in a while they'll be an odd one with lighting or even water in the genetics work that way. But almost never is one wind. I've never seen anyone before you with chakra like this." _

_It wasn't parental exaggeration ether. Though Kenpatchi couldn't fully understand, the genetics he had gotten were rare enough for Nori to doubt his wife's commitment to him for a moment. However he also had the _Tokagehitomi (lizard eye)_, making it impossible for him to be the son of anyone but a clan member- and he looked strongly like Nori himself- and the thought was quickly disposed of. _

"_That's really cool and all, but how's an umbrella going to help me fight. Why can't I get a wind blade or something?"_

_Nori stood up and Kenpatchi followed example. "I'm going to test something. Remember the jutsu sensei taught you?"_

"_I-it was...er..._Fūton: Kazekiri (Wind Release: Wind Cutter)_."_

"_Okay. That will work." He broke the branch off a nearby tree. "Now I want you to remember the jutsu and focus it on that branch."_

"_Okay." _

_Kenpatchi brought his hands together to make the handsigns but his dad put his hands on his and stopped him. "No handsigns. You'll use the umbrella."_

"_What?"_

"_Listen carefully. Focus your chakra into the umbrella. Think of the jutsu and swing it forward."_

_Kenpatchi raised an eyebrow at his dad._

"_Just do it."_

_The kid sighed. _

_**He held the tool behind him and in one quick movement swung it forward**_

* * *

The umbrella opened up automatically as it was swung. It gathered air and focused it in milliseconds. A huge tornado-like gust of wind spiraled out.

The snake was thrown back from the force. It landed upside down. As it began to roll over, Natsuki's canine puppet jumped onto of it and pinned it down. It's cord of a tail swooshed back in forth in the air for a bit. The control's finger's moved, bringing the hooked in down.

The large hook ripped down into the soft snake belly. There was a high pitched, sicking screech as the hook ripped a straight line down it. The hook went up to the snake's neck before shooting out, dyed red with bits of gut dangling loosely from it. The monster's eyes paled.

"It's dead." Kenpatchi grinned.

"Of course it is." Natsuki walked toward him and moved the puppet closer to herself.

Up in the tree, the komodo dragon swung it's tail back in froth nervously. "Is something wrong with it?" Natsuki asked.

Kenpatchi flicked his tongue in and out a few times, talking. Then he said, "It thinks our dead snake had a friend."

"Friend?"

Something rustled through the swamp.

"Shit." The kunoichi muttered and held her puppet up to shield herself.

The blow came quick and knocked her down on her back a few feet away.

This snake was even bigger. Twice as big as the first at least. It could have been the mother never mind the snake's 'friend'.

The snake hissed and moved its head back. The jaw opened wide, reveling sharp fangs.

"Suki-chan!" Kenpatchi jumped in front of her. His eyes turned bright with the Kekkei Genkai and his hands glows with chakra. He clapped his hands together.

"_Fūton: Reppūshō (__Wind Release: Violent Wind Palm)_!"

Air came streaming from his fingers at the force of clap. Green chakra flowed with it. The _Tokagehitomi _rapidly accelerated the flow of chakra in his body. It came out like fire, shooting across the wind that came from the justu.

The snake couldn't even hiss in pain. The burning chakra went inside the mouth, eating away the flesh from the inside out. The pressure built up.

Just before it reached them, it exploded.

Holes appeared in random parts of the pale body, blood pouring out of them. The head was completely blown off, not even a few skull fragments.

Kenpatchi was covered in blood, mud, and shit he didn't even know what it was.

He looked himself up and down, looked at the snake ahead of him and the damage done to it.

A smile cracked on his face and he did the only thing he could think of. He laughed.

* * *

Outside Hayashigakure, guards stood at their posts. Each one a skilled archer, looking alert on and on duty. Each also wore the same dark green coat with the hood covering any view of the face.

The captain walked behind them, observing them silently. He peeked over the gates.

The guards were there to see who had the sign and who didn't. Anyone not carrying the red lantern would be shot down on sight. No risks will be taken; there would be no exceptions.

One of the guards drew his bow and the two beside him did the same and aimed.

"Sir. One with no signal. Will fire on command."

The captain gazed lazily over the edge. It was uncommon, but there had been cases where an animal had been mistaken for human and that was a pointless waste of arrows.

He saw the human coming, a teenager. His mouth opened to give the order, but he stopped.

There was something on the arm, he could just barely see. Armor.

Could it be?

No, to say he knew him personally would be a stupid thing to say. Instead he said, "See that gleam there? It's caked by mud a little, but it's metal armor. Your arrows will have no effect."

"Shall we use the armor piercing ones then, sir?"

The captain gripped the rail on the very edge of the bridge. The sleeves of his coat slipped at little, showing scars of multiple cuts.

"No. I'll take care of him. Carry on without me." He grabbed a red lantern for safety and jumped straight down from the top of the wall. The air blew his dark green hair all over his face, blinding him slightly. He didn't care.

_Long time since you've been here, Zealot._


	19. Chapter IXX

_From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity._

_~Edvard Munch_

* * *

Sora was dead tired. He normally had very good endurance, but walking miles through the swamp had warn him out. The last thing he wanted was a stranger to come and take advantage of him like this. On the other hand, it had been too long since the last time he killed. Maybe he could work this to his advantage. His sword came up in front of him and he positioned his feet as well as he could without slipping in the mud.

The face of the man ahead of him was hidden. He couldn't see his eyes or tell the color of his hair in the dark. He spoke up, his voice raspy. "Sora, right?" Sora blinked and lowered the weapon a little. He couldn't tell the age and he knew his name. _I'm a wanted criminal. _He thought, _I guess that'll make everyone know my name. _

He kicked off the ground and charged toward the hooded figure. His sword swung down and the figure dodged. He was just as fast if not faster. Every swing was followed by a side step. Sora struggling with his footwork due to mud was making it worse. He managed to correct his stance and get one good swing at last. The man's hair was cut, but no blood. The ritual was useless without blood, so he swung again. This time the man reached out and grabbed the wrist before the sword could come down.

"Keep your katana down. There's nothing you can do with it." Sora was pushed aside and thrown into a large tree. The man pulled up the right sleeve to his heavy cloak. A large pattern of scars was cut into his skin. The teen felt a strong deja vu when they appeared. "Are those-"

Before he could finish, blood shot out of the cuts. It erupted and took the form of spikes, like large needles. _Ninjutsu. When did he use it? No handsigns or words or anything! _The spikes shot out and landed on him. Some landed lower, pinning the cloth of his pants to the tree. Others landed in the flesh of his left arm and shoulder. He yelled out a little, but the pain was somewhat able to be ignored after that. He had just been surprised. He was used to pain like this.

The man walked over and pulled his sword away from him. "I expected a little better."

"I'm not used to fighting in a fuckin' _swamp!"_

"Still I'm disappointed, Sora."

Sora frowned and got a better look at the man. He was probably nineteen and his hair was greenish. "...Since when I was Sora?"

"Excuse me?"

"You called me 'Zealot' or something when I got here. You won't even let me say my name."

"You have an amazing memory." The man complimented. "I'm a captain now in case you haven't noticed. You should be more careful. There are guards here who would have killed you on sight if I hadn't refused to give them the okay."

"No signal. I get it. Not my fault. I had a signal and I lost it."

"I see..."

"What's your name again? Emo or something?"

"Gaki." He corrected.

"And what about Pink-y and the goth girl with you? They captains too?"

"Kemuri's dead." Gaki said coldly. Sora blinked. "She was the 'goth girl'. The one who smoked."

"Ahhh...killed?"

"Lung cancer."

"That's why you don't smoke." Sora smirked. He received a punch so hard he heard his jaw cracked. Gaki gave him a cold hard death glare. "Don't you ever speak of her and her habits in that tone."

"I'm just saying." Sora kept grinning. "Smoking kills." He got another hard punch that knocked the smile away.

"Do you have anything else you're 'just saying'?" His eyes glared and Sora could see the blood rushing into them.

"Okay. Okay. What about the other one? The annoying one who liked girls and cute stuff too much."

"She's dead too." He snapped. "Or at least considered dead. She ran off." He sighed. "Just don't talk about them, Sora. Not the time."

"Why the fuck are you calling me that now? You didn't even let me say my nam-"

"I know." He snapped again. "Times changed." After a moment of silence and considering both their positions, Gaki pulled out the blood needles pinning him down. "I guess your friend's to blame for the names." He continued.

"Friend? What are you talking about?" Sora reached down and ripped needles away from his pants, freeing his legs. "I don't have any friends."

"So Misuto Kitai means nothing to you?"

Sora froze up. "I...didn't say that."

"Sounds like you did."

"I...I just forgot about him." He looked down at the ground. "I consider him my friend."

Gaki rolled his eyes and walked away. "Whatever. If you are so close, you'll know where to find him without me."

"I..." He didn't know where the hell Kitai was. He followed. "How's the name thing _his _ fault anyway?"

"Kemuri loved her nicknames. It was more of a hobby than a-"

"I asked how the fuck is it his fault!"

"He ignored the nicknames. Gave out his own name as well as yours. And gave them to the wrong people."

"Wrong people?"

"Konoha spies."

"So what?" Sora groaned. "I've never been to the Leaf Village and I don't plan on going there any time soon."

"Before this, the Leaf Village didn't even know your religion existed." Gaki explained, "Now, they'll be looking for you. Kitai as well." He stopped when they reached the wall.

"This is all I can do. I have to get back to guard duty. If you have money, you can find a place to stay."

Sora shook his head. "I have money, but I don't want to stay here. Where's Misuto?"

"Kitai?" Gaki rubbed his fingers together. "Information isn't free."

"I hate how the world runs on money." Sora growled as he dug through his pockets. "How much?"

"It's not a nice system, but it works." The other commented. "100 ryo."

Sora looked at the bills in his hand. It totaled to just above the price. He would be broke if he paid. "Deal." He said, shoving the cash into his hands. "Now tell me where he is."

"Ironically, he was last seen in Fire Country, near Konoha. The same place you just said you weren't planning on going anytime soon." He tucked the money into his pocket. "He usually travels with company now. One of the most common is a genjutsu master Kemuri liked to call the Violet Illusion. Her real name I believe is Mizuki Yuu."

"Mizuki Yuu" Sora repeated. "Never heard of her."

"Only trying to help." Gaki shrugged. "If you want to get to the Fire Country, go inside the village and walk across the wall until you find the gate that reads 'South'. Remember your symbol and take that path out of the village. The path will continue outside the swamp and stop at the boarder of the Fire Country."

* * *

**Setting: Fire Country, Unknown Location. **

Somewhere on the edge of the Fire Country, Yuu was resting. She had a water bottle in her hand and sipped out of it ever few minutes. She was sitting on a bench outside of a small house with only a few rooms inside it and that was isolated from civilization. For good reason too. Criminals lived in that house.

She didn't really call it home, but she did live in it. She also shared it with two other men who were almost thought of as 'teammates'. They never called each other that, but they acted like that.

The two men were training just a few yards away from her at the moment. They were working with Kenjutsu, something she herself wasn't exactly skilled in.

One of them was in his early twenties. He had dark hair and purple eyes. The eyes had strange markings under them of the same color and there were few alive who knew how they worked, Yuu included. He dressed like a shinobi- with a loose jacket and shorts and bandages covering his limbs- and fought even better than one.

His opponent was about Yuu's age, nineteen. His name was Misuto Kitai. He hadn't changed much from the Kitai that Sora would remember from years ago. His red hair was cut shorter so it no longer reached his shoulders. His outfit had became more complex and shinobi-like. Bandages covered his chest area and his right shoulder where his tattoo was, hiding it.

Kitai was knocked onto his back with a swift blow from the older man's fist. "That was a cheep shot, Mitsukai!" He yelled.

"So?" Mitsukai replied. His own sword came down and the end sunk into the dirt just inches from the Jashinist's head. "It's called using your _hands. _Don't expect all the attacks to be from the sword.

"People aren't just going to use a katana when fighting you ether. There are a variety of other weapons out there: slings, maces, _sai_, chain whips, _sansetsukon, kusarigama, guan dao, eskrima_. Weapons that make a sword look stupid. You're prepared to go against another sword with that technique but not another unusual weapon."

Kitai sighed and stood up. "Well too bad there aren't any unusual weapons we can train with."

Mitsukai pulled his sword out and thought about that. He looked over at Yuu. "Give him a weapon to fight."

Yuu nodded and pressed her fingers together into a handsign. A strong breeze formed. Yuu's long brown hair went wild and her bright eyes seemed to glow for a moment. The wind swirled around and formed what looked two small tornadoes. Purple lights of energy shined through them. The wind died down and two masked shinobi without headbands and in full black appeared. One held two small tools with a handle and three stabbing blades coming out of it: sai. The other carried a wooden weapon with two parts and a chain connecting them: nunchucks.

"They're just genjutsu, but the pain will feel real." Yuu warned, "Be careful." Kitai gave her a small nod of understanding and gripped his sword tightly. The sai shinobi attacked first.

The illusion charged and slashed at him close range with the weapons. Kitai held up the sword in defense and stopped one of the sai with the blade. The fake took the second sai and scraped his arm with it. Nothing more than a cut though. Kitai brought his leg up and kicked the shinobi hard in the waist, knocking it away. "That's right, use your body." Mitsukai muttered.

Kitai went to stab the shinobi, but the sword was knocked away, almost falling out of his grip. The fake with nunchucks was next to him and swinging them around. Kitai yelled out as the blunt end hit his head. He held up his arms and the wood fell against light armor he had strapped on. He threw his fists forward, past the weapon and into the fighter's face. In a quick act of tai jutsu, he had the shinobi falling to the ground. He flung the sword forward, not letting go. It pierced through the left side of the illusion's chest were the heart would be located. The shinobi twitched for a half second, then fell numb and didn't move.

Kitai pulled the sword -now red with fake blood- out. The moment he did, a sharp sting was felt in his left arm and chest area. He turned his head around brought his sword up. It deflected the second sai being flung at him. The first was in his chest, without a doubt hitting his heart. He knew what injury in the heart was like, feeling it so many times. His body just took it as pain in his left shoulder area.

As the shinobi jumped up to retrieve his second, deflected sai, Kitai reached behind him and yanked the sai out. There was a ton of blood on the metal and he felt more pain. Defiantly the heart that was hit. He jumped up. The shinobi was in the air, reaching for the handle for the second sai. Kitai grabbed him by the shirt before he could catch it. He pulled him down with him, the shinobi landing flat on his back on the hard ground below. Kitai landed on his feet, squatting down, on top of the other. He pushed the sai into the shinobi's head straight through the skull and into the brain. A quick instant death if he had been real.

The two corpses glowed bright violet just a little before shattering into little bits of energy and fading away. The blood and pain was all gone. Not a scratch on Kitai that wasn't there before the fight. The missing-nin cursed. "Something wrong?" Mitsukai asked, arms crossed.

"The deaths." Kitai explained. "They reminded me. I need a sacrifice."

"Oh." Mitsukai nodded. "Take all the time you need." The immortal left and disappeared from their sight in thick forest trees.

"That stupid religion." Yuu muttered. "He doesn't even like it. Why does he follow it?"

"Some religions people only follow due to fear." Mitsukai told her.

Yuu's eyes widened just a little. "Oh. He's scared of his god. Scared to go to hell."

"That's not it. It's something else. I'm not sure what though."

"Whatever. You think that sacrifice shit is an excuse to get out of training. Kitai-kun looked a little tired. He might be slacking off."

"He's not." The man said instantly. "He knows he needs us. If you feel that way however, feel free to leave." Yuu rested her face on her hand and frowned at him.


	20. Chapter XX

**IMPORTANT: Due to computer failer, it is now more difficult for me to type. This chapter was typed at a close friend's house. I will be much more active on Deviantart than I am on this site. **

**Both this story and Akatsuki 2.0 will have longer delays. I'm so sorry to disappoint any excited, super loyal readers (I'll be really surprised if I have any XD)**

**Also, no quote this chapter. Sorry **

* * *

Kitai finished his sacrifice as quickly and cleanly as possible. The only hard part was finding the criminal to kill. Missing nin were a challenge to find for obvious reasons, but Kitai managed after hours of searching. The kill was easy, a simple strike to the heart. He spread himself out on the bloody symbol in the ground. He closed his eyes and prayed to god.

When the eyes opened, there was someone looking down on him. Light blue eyes met his pupil-less, red ones. It was just a kid. His eyes snapped and he panicked. His hand shot up and he stared in horror at it. The skin was still black with the white skeletal pattern! He knew!

"Hey..." The kid looked down at the pendent hanging from his neck. "Are you a Jashinist?"

"Yeah..." There was something about this kid...something about this kid. He remembered those large eyes. His hair stood out, spiked in the front with a ponytail hanging over his shoulder. He wore a red jacket that hadn't seemed to change from-

"Sora?"

"Kitai-san?" Sora grinned widely.

"Is it really you Sora!" Kitai grinned back. "Damn, it's been-"

"-almost three years." Sora finished, reaching down and pulling him up.

Kitai's skin changed to it's normal pale color. He pulled Sora closer into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around him. Of course he hadn't forgotten Sora. He had heard of other Jashinists, but Sora was the only one he had met in person. They had become friends instantly too. With the precious few friends he had in life, it was impossible to forget.

Sora remembered him too, very clearly. He had idolized him when he knew him and still did. But...

"Kitai..."

"Hmm?"

"Do guys normally hug each other?" Sora asked. He remembered his brother hugging him when he was little, but that mainly to kiss up to girls and Sora started refusing Ichigo's hugs when he grew up. There was a better chance of Sora wearing a dress than his senpai hugging him.

Kitai pulled back. "What do you mean...you've never one?"

"I have...just..."

"Oh..." Kitai scratched the back of his head and explained, "Well...I'm pretty sure it's normal if they're like siblings or best friends. Something like that."

"So...it's normal for us. We're friends?"

"Of course we are dude."

Sora stared at him for a moment. Then wrapped his arms around him, holding the hug. Somehow, it felt right. Kitai accepted his hug and pulled him closer so Sora's head was pressed to his chest.

They finally pulled away for good. "What brings you here, kid?"

"I was looking for you." Sora replied.

"Looking...for _me!_"

"Yeah." Sora said, "I missed you and I need your help."

"Help? With what?"

"My sempai. I...He's gone. Brom-sempai's gone."

"...why? How'd he-"

"I dunno..." Sora thought back, "We...we got into a fight...ANBU for sure. Leaf village...yeah they were definitely from Konoha. We were fighting them and I blacked out. When I woke up, my senpai was gone. I looked everywhere but no sign of him. Then I found one of the ANBU. He said...said they captured him. They were ordered to capture him."

"So, Konoha ANBU captured your senpai?"

"I'm not sure." Sora said. "Senpai's too powerful for that."

"How powerful are we talking?"

"He's an immortal like us. And a hell lot older. Much more experience too." He smirked a little. "No one can defeat a Jashinist, especially one that powerful."

Kitai stared for a moment in disbelieve. Then he said, "I think I know how to get in Konoha."

* * *

"I can't believe you." Yuu snarled. "You let him off on his own mission!"

"With a teammate." Her partner replied flattly.

"That's even worse!" She snapped. "What is the point! He's a dangerous felon who you have to keep a goddamn eye on and you're just letting him go with his little buddy!"

"Think about it for a moment, Yuu." Mitsukai said calmly. "Whenever Kitai spoke of his religion, this Sora was brought into the conversation some way or another."

"...what's your point?"

"We know very little about the Jashinists now. Imagine how much he'll learn after spending the time with Sora. Besides, you know Kitai. Can't keep his stupid mouth shut."

Yuu was silent for a moment, then said, "I see your point, Mitsukai-san.

"So the plan is he goes on his own with this kid. Doesn't that make us a little odd? We're very critical of Kitai-kun. Just letting him do what he wants looks out of place."

"Agreed." Mitsukai replied, "However, he had an excuse and it was simply the truth. We have a bounty we can go after in the other direction away from Konoha. The bounty Kitai said he's going after is supposedly a powerful zealot like himself. We would slow him down and he would slow us down on the mission we're going on. It's simply a matter of restrictions."

"You don't really think he's after a 'bounty' do you." Yuu raised an eyebrow.

"Of course he isn't. But suppose it is another Jashinist. Just more for us to learn about in the organization."

"Then we should be keeping a closer eye on them and going with them!"

"No." He said sharply, making her flinch a little. "Too risky and we have other things we can do. We'll do it next time to ensure our safety, but for now let it be."

* * *

"So, lemme get this straight." Sora said as they walked. "You have two senseis, Yuu and Mitsukai, both bounty hunters. Yuu uses genjutsu, Mitsukai...just about everything else."

"Just about."

"Because they were bounty hunters, you told them that we were only going after Brom because there was a bounty on his head and this wasn't a search and rescue. After saying that, they gave you permission to leave and continue training you or whatever when we're done. Right?"

"Mm-hm."

"I don't get it, Kitai-san. You're powerful enough already. Why do you need a sensei? You have two and you don't even need one! They aren't even Jashinists!"

"I do. I really do." Kitai argued. "I have absolutely no genjutsu control and my nin-jutsu is lame. I only know a couple of jutsu. Also my sword skill his nothing compared to Mitsauki-sensei's. Religion isn't exactly something we talk about ether. We just ignore it."

"Blah, you don't need them."

Kitai looked down at his friend. "You really think so?"

"Of course I do." Sora grinned up at him. "You're the most powerful person I know. After Brom-senpai of course."

Kitai smiled. "Thanks kid. It means a lot." They walked a little longer and Kitai spoke up. "You know that name...you never told me when you first met your senpai's name was Brom."

"Well yeah. Technically it is. I just always call him 'senpai'."

"Well, Raye-sensei always talked about a Brom in her life."

Sora blinked. Brom wasn't exactly a common name. Also, "Who's Raye-sensei? Don't tell me you have a third idiot you don't need."

"Oh no. She...well...she was my squad leader as a genin." He fiddled with the black Hidden Mist headband wrapped awkwardly around his head, partly hidden by the red hair. "I was a normal shinobi at one point you know."

"Oh yeah..." Sora said, "If that's the case...she was...Chunin-?"

"-Jonin."

"Right, Jonin. She was probably one of the ones who hunted Brom senpai. Yah know, like the Konoha ANBU."

"Not really. Actually..." Kitai paused, wondering how to say it. "...she spoke of him kinda as a lover."

"Lover? Like...married?" Sora burst out laughing for a few moments. The idea of Brom being in a romantic relationship was too hard for him to imagine. Sora respected Brom, but he was tough and mean, not exactly a friendly guy.

"No, I don't think so. But she spoke of him a lot. I think they dated, maybe got a little serious, maybe not, but definitely dated."

"Whatever. That doesn't sound like senpai."

"No one out there named 'Brom'. You sure?"

Sora thought for a little bit. "...Maybe he was leading her on. Like he wanted to sacrifice her, but it was heard. So he made her fall for him. Tricked her."

Kitai simply shrugged.

"Hey Kitai-san?"

"What?"

"You've never really told me about your time as a shinobi.. Like, before you became a missing nin."

Kitai blinked. "I didn't?"

"No. You didn't. I told you all about me, but you never really wanted to talk about your past."

"Oh...oh yeah." Kitai looked down for a moment, the back at Sora. "Well... I went to the academy like all kids to become a shinobi. I started a little late and graduated with my class as a genin a few days before I turned fourteen. I was assigned to squad four."

* * *

_Squad four was an idol genin team that was together as often as possible for them. They were best friends. At charge of the team was Raye, a strong jonin as well as a genjutsu master. She kept careful watch of her team, keeping them out of trouble and discovering their strengths and weaknesses. It all was going well. Team four had a bright future. _

_At least, they did. Until that one day when they had a mission..._

* * *

"I killed them." Kitai said darkly. "I killed each of them. Yuna was the only one who got away. I killed my family and most of my team." He twitched a little. "I was sad. It was purely insanity. I was upset enough to try and kill myself.

"But then..." He wrapped his fingers around the rosary. "He offered salvation. He said he loved me and I had promise. He promised immortality and saved me. He saved me and I owe him. So I'm going to kill everything in my way to repay him."

A short insane laugh escaped his throat and he flashed a wide grin at Sora. Sora only grinned back.

* * *

Once they got closer to the great village, Kitai explained the plan further.

"Konoha's defense system is a little strange. The entire place I surrounded by a spherical detection field...I think that's what they call it. Basically, without a code word, you can't get in. They'll know instantly there are two intruders with we try."

"So, you know the password to get us in."

"Nope. You have to have lived in Konoha to know it. The other way is to be escorted in by someone from the village."

"Damn."

"No worries." Kitai smiled. "I happened to do know someone from the village."

"Huh? There are Jashinists in Konoha?"

"No. She's not a Jashinsit."

"Eh?"

Kitai sighed. "Do all your allies have to be Jashinists?"

"Pretty much." Sora shrugged. "I worked with ones who weren't before. It was a pain in the ass."

They arrived on the edge of a forest. "We're about five minutes away from the village walls now." He sat down. "And now we wait."

"Wait?" Sora sat next to him.

"This is our meeting spot." Kitai explained. He looked into the distance. You could see the huge walls over the edge of the trees. "She'll come soon."

They stayed in that same spot for a long time, talking, catching up on life, cracking jokes. Finally, as the sun started to set, a figure appeared in the distance. Sora looked worried at Kitai, who still had his missing-nin headband on his head. Kitai, however, was smiling.

The person came closer and Sora realized it was a girl. She looked Kitai's age, about eighteen or nineteen. She had long dark hair and bright eyes. She smiled at them.

"Hi Kitai."

"Hi Kiyo."

* * *

**This new character just introduced belongs to PandaMoko on DeviantArt**


	21. Chapter XXI

_Rather be dead than cool. _

Kurt Coban

* * *

"Sora, Kiyo. Kiyo, Sora." Kitai introduced.

Sora frowned an examined her. She was a few inches shorter than him and Kitai a head taller than him at least. She didn't dress fancy, basic shinobi gear. There was a wrapped object around her back that Sora assumed must have been a katana like he and Kitai carried.

She held out her hand and said with a bright smile, "Atsuki Kiyoko, but like Kitai-kun said, call me Kiyo please."

"Kiyo huh." Sora shock the hand, "Just Sora."

"Just Sora, huh." She smirked at him. "Quite a hand shake you got." Sora yanked the hand away quickly. "Something wrong?"

"I'm fine." Sora hissed back. She glared. Before a fight could start, Kitai got between them. "He's looking for his Senpai, Kiyo."

"Yeah. It was _Konoha ANBU _who were fighting him last time I saw him." Sora snapped.

Kiyo looked down at the gray headband at her waist and groaned. "I'm not ANBU. I knew nothing of it."

"Sora, calm down. She's right." Kitai put a hand on his shoulder, calming him down. "We can sort the out at Kiyo's house."

"Woah, _my house!_" Kiyo screeched a little. "I have people living there."

"Who this time?"

"Umm..." She paused, "...not many actually. My little brother is there of course. But my parents are away for a while."

"Is that bad?" Sora asked.

"Not as long as Momo doesn't talk about you two. Which he won't." Kiyo assured. "C'mon. It's getting late and I have to sneak you guys in."

* * *

Konoha to Sora seemed welcoming. Unlike the Rain, the Leaf's weather was nice. It's wasn't modern, but basic. It was like his small home village without poverty. It was like the capital where he once lived with his brother, but there seemed to be no church. There were religious symbols: five giant faces carved into the mountain.

"What gods are those?" He asked Kiyoko. She looked at him oddly, "Excuse me?" He pointed to the stone figures and she laughed. "Those aren't gods. Those are Hokage, the leaders of the village."

"Oh..." Sora glanced at them again. "So leaders are like gods."

"There's no real religion is Konoha." Kiyo explained. "Most of the country believes in the something called the Will of Fire. But the temples for it are outside the village. You'll have to travel a little to find anything really religious. C'mon." She pushed him forward.

She pushed him into the house as a voice called out, "Kiyo-chan"

Kiyo gasped just as Kitai got shoved in with him. "Nara-sensei. Can't talk! My brother's been home alone and he's dying to see me."

Sora glanced into the next room and saw a little boy who he assumed to be Kiyo's little brother, Momo. He was holding a children's book in his hands and looking up at them. Kiyo came in and closed the door. "Nii-nii!" He yelled out, abandoning the book and running up to her. Kiyo hugged him and lefted him up. She looked over and mouthed _my room._

Kitai led Sora up the stairs into her bedroom. It was covered with pictures of teammates and extra blankets. Sora sat on her bed with Kitai and picked up a file on the desk next to it. "What's KOI?"

"Kiyo's organization. She doesn't even talk to me about it. It's really secretive."

"Something to do with my Senpai being missing?"

Kitai shook his head. "I don't think so. KOI is completely separate from ANBU. We'll ask Kiyo when she comes up."

A few minutes later Kiyo stepped in and said with her head out the door. "And remember, I'll hide those cookies if you dare tell Mom and Dad!" She closed it and sat in the desk chair. She leaned forward on the back of the chair, arms crossed. "So what's up?"

Sora retold his story and Kiyo frowned. "I'm not in ANBU. I don't know anything about their missions. I could sneak in and look into it."

"Please do." Sora replied. "Soon. I dunno how long we can stay here."

"He's right." Kitai added, "My headbands off, but a shinobi might recognize me still. And Sora's as much of a psychopath as I am."

"Okay, okay, I get it." Kiyo sighed. "I'll do it first thing in the mor-"

"Tonight!" Both of them yelled.

"Okay, okay. Geeze. I'll do it." She tightened her katana that she carried by cloth. "You both have your weapons?" Sora gripped the katana on back and nodded. Kitai nodded as well.

* * *

"So this is KOI?" Kitai mumbled, examining the dark building. "I assumed it was an expansion of the ANBU building."

"It is in a way." Kiyo said. "It acts like one, so no one gets ideas. So..uh there are links."

The girl slipped a gray mask on her face. "I'll open that window up there" -she pointed- "and you two can slip in. It's very very important that we don't get caught. Even more important, even after this small mission, _do not ever _let anyone know you know me or anything about this organization. If you do, I'll have to kill you too. If they know find out that you're immortal, I'll be forced to commit Seppuku or be hunted as Missing-nin when I refuse. Got it?" Both nodded.

The girl adjusted the mask once and walked up to the ANBU guards as the two Jashinists hid.

"Name."

"Utako Fuji." The guards nodded and opened the doors for Kiyo, letting her in. Sora looked at Kitai oddly, who whispered. "Fake name"

The window on the seventh floor opened. They saw a dark shadow of Kiyo waving them. "C'mon, lets go." Kitai mumbled, getting up. He jumped onto the building's side, chakra glowing in his feet. He looked down and frowned. "Sora, what the fuck are you doing?"

Sora was gripping the ledge of a window tightly, dragging his feet up with him. "What does it look like. I'm _climbing!_"

Kitai rolled his eyes. "Just use your chakra and walk."

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I'm not a fucking shinobi! I can't walk on water and do chakra shit!"

"...you're kidding right?"

"No!"

"C'mon, at least try. Buildings are twice as easy as water."

Sora groaned and made a handsign. "This is rat, right?"

Kitai face palm. "That's boar! And you don't even want rat! You want the tiger seal!" He made the sign and showed Sora, who copied it. Blue chakra glowed at his feet and he got upright and started walking.

"What are you doing now?"

Sora kept his hands tightly locked together in the handsign, his eyes squeezed shut in deep concentration. His mouth was moving in prayer. He stopped only to say. "I'm concentrating so I don't fall."

Kitai sighed. He grabbed the kids arm. Sora's eyes snapped open and the blue glow faded completely from his feet. He screamed softly and grabbed Kitai's outstretched arm with both hands. He dangled down from the side of the building.

"...please don't tell Kiyo about this."

* * *

The guys entered through the window to see a small room with hundreds of scrolls lining the walls and a table in the middle with Kiyoko standing at it and a few scrolls already opened. "What took so long?"

"Nothing." Kitai replied. When Kiyoko looked back to the scrolls, Kitai made a pained face and shot Sora a glare. Sora whispered, _"You didn't _have _to carry me!" _

"What was that?"

Sora turned a little red. "I asked what all these scrolls are."

"They're all missions."

Kitai scanned the room, eyes wide. "These are all the missions of the ANBU."

"All the missions in the past six months." Kiyo said, "Rest are in a storage unit somewhere."

"Damn!"

Sora looked on the ones on the table. "So...we find the mission dealing with my sensei."

"Yep."

* * *

"Found it!"

Sora shot up and rushed next to Kiyo. Kitai finished his yawn and looked over her shoulder. Kiyo read out loud.

"_**Kumogakure kindly asks for assistance of the ANBU of Konohagakure in the capture and restraint of a mass murderer known as Brom. H-"**_

"Brom-sempai!" Sora yelled out. Kiyo ignored it and kept reading.

"_**He is not commonly found in the Fire Country, but is well known and feared throughout the north in the Lightning and Earth countries for multiple homicide. Brom is noted to be extremely tall, estimated- **_

"_Blah! _This is just a physical description. Hang on."

Her eyes scanned down the scroll, moving it as she read. There was a picture of Brom sketched in pencil showing face details and a full body profile. It was based on details from witnesses. It surprised Sora how accurate it was.

Kiyo started up again:

"**Brom has been rumored to be 'immortal' and there have been no successful attacked that have managed to badly damage him-"**

"'Badly damage'" Sora mumbled, "They're talking about him like he's a thing, not a human."

"**Brom is wanted dead or alive. ANBU will be rewarded with-"**

Kiyo blinked. "Wow! That's a lot of zeros." The others to nodded, staring at the price.

"**Jutsu that would normally kill shows little to no effect on this man. Same with physical attacks. Therefore, we strongly urge instead of attempting to kill him, bring him alive. Our own sources will pick him up outside of Kumagakure. He will then be escorted to our Maximum Security Prison. We wait for your answer. Please accept this mission."**

"It's signed by the heads of Kumokagure. Weird. I don't see one from the Raikage." Kiyo noted. She flipped the scroll over to the back to look for more writing.

"So that's him?" Kitai said, taking the scroll from her when she found none. He showed the drawing of Brom to Sora again. "That's your Senpai?"

Sora nodded, remembering the man like he was standing right next to him. "Where was he again, Kiyo? Max security prison?"

"Yeah. I can do more research on it if you want, but it will take some time t-"

"No!" Sora slammed his hands on the table. "I've been looking forever for him! I'm not wasting more time on research!"

He felt a hand grip his shoulder. "Chill Sora." Kitai said easily. Sora took a few deep breathes and looked up at him. Kitai's hand being there calmed him. Kitai smiled down at him and looked at Kiyo. "Think you can come with us."

"No," Kiyo sighed. "Not unless I get sent to Kumo and they have good shinobi there. They won't need me. I wish I could though. I'll search the building for anything. You guys should get going before they find you."

"Okay. Let's go Sora."

Sora instantly jumped out the window and started scaling down the wall. Kitai exchanged a long lasting hug with Kiyoko, then jumped down after him after saying goodbye.

"Sora wait up!"

Sora stopped instantly. "Huh...you mean you're actually coming with me all the way."

Kitai smirked. "Sora, this is another immortal we're talking about! He's decades older than us and much more experienced. I could learn things from him that no one else could ever teach me. And I'll be with you, my friend. You honestly expect me to pass this off!"

* * *

Gaki's face was well hidden by the cloak. Even after the cloak, his slimy, wet-from-rain hair was in the way. It didn't matter. Those who could see the Captain knew who he was easily. "You two work quick. I assume it went well."

The puppet master groaned, trying to hide her annoyance, "We would have gone quicker if his 'buddy' didn't hate being wet."

Behind Natsuki, the young Konodo dragon was on Kenpatchi's back under a layer of clothes. She swore to herself if that animal could make noise, it would be whimpering loudly in this weather. Lightning flashed and the dragon dived it's head down before the thunder stroke. Kenpatchi patted the scaled head to calm it. It made her wonder for the hundredth time; if lizards hated water and cold so much, why the hell was the clan that summoned them located in the Hidden _Rain _of all places!

"You have the scroll, right?"

Natsuki nodded- of course they had it! Why would they come if they didn't!- and looked to Kenpatchi. He reached inside his clothes and pulled a small, violet scroll out. The scroll was tossed over to Gaki, who caught it.

The teen crossed her arms. "Don't forget our pay."

"Of course-" Gaki shot up straight and looked around. He felt something. Natsuki noticed and copied him while Kenpatchi looked over his shoulder and left and right nervously before remembering his eye technique and activating it. His mouth opened, about to warn of something, but Gaki had already noticed.

The shinobi jumped up into the air just as a flash appeared below him. There was another flash when he was above ground. Blood exploded out of his chest. He hit the ground, dead. A dark haired man carrying thin, once silver (now red) blades landed smoothly next to him.

There was another flash, not bright and blinding, but a dark shade of purple. A young brunette stepped out of it and calmly stood next to the man.

"Mitsukai, honey, why did you have to do it in front of the kids?" She sighed.


	22. Chapter XXII

"_Kids! You're not much older than us!"_

Yuu rolled her eyes and looked at Natsuki. "You look smart. Why do you have a ten year old on your team?"

"_Ten?"_ Kenpatchi screeched again.

"He's more like six or seven sometimes."

"_Suki! You're supposed to be helping!" _

"Why do you keep him around them." Yuu asked, ignoring him. Natsuki shrugged back, "I wonder the same sometimes."

"_Sukiiii!"_

"Shut up!" Both girls yelled. Kenaptchi suck back a little. His lizard stuck it's head out from under the clothes and gave a loud hiss.

"Yuu." Mitsuaki took a step forward. "The scroll."

"Oh yeah." She looked back at him and smiled. "Thanks for reminding me, Mitsuaki-kun~" She said, slurring his name flirtatiously. Mitsuaki's blank expression didn't change. Yuu frowned a little and stepped forward to Gaki's body.

A mix of blood and rainwater leaked down into the roofs gutters. Gaki's wounds were wide open and the rain was making the red fluids pour out even faster. His hood was down and the hair had fallen out of his face. It was the first time anyone had really even seen the whole face clearly. His pale green eyes were staring up into the air, his mouth wide with surprise.

Yuu gave the body a hard kick. When it didn't flinch she reached down to grab the scroll from his hands.

Natsuki whipped out a pair of shuriken and threw them at her. The stars hit their target, but she didn't bleed. She disappeared and faded into light purple smoke. The puppet masters eyes snapped. "A clone." She looked at Kenpatchi. "Where's the real one?"

Kenpatchi looked around, eyes glowing. He pointed. "Over there. Not too far, but hurry." He started to head that way, but Natsuki jumped ahead of him. "Hold that guy off!"

He halted. "What! Bu-but!" She was already sprinting ahead unable to hear.

Mitsuaki drew his swords and pointed one at Kenpatchi. Kenpatchi ran a hand through his wet hair nervously. He calmed himself and gripped the weapon on his back.

* * *

**Setting: Kumogakure, Maximum Security Prison, Guards Room**

"I'm telling you, Shyama Verena is the best. Have you seen her swords? They aren't even like swords. And she controls them like...like..."

"Like what? How you talk? Finish your sentence, Isamu."

The first girl talking, Isamu, frowned. "Well who do you think is the best, Kurai!"

Kurai adjusted the mask around her face. "I don't care."

"The best for sure is one of the Seigi" A third girl spoke up. The other three in the room suddenly turned and stared at her. It wasn't that often she spoke up. "I don't know his name however. But I did see him in combat and the genjutsu is just amazing. Genjutsu is something incredibly rare for the clan"

"Really?" Said the forth, leaning against a wall. "I dunno know them. Are ether of them from the Leaf, Amaya?"

"No." She replied. "If I remember right...one's from the Sand and the Seigi originate from the Waterfall- they rarely show up in the Leaf. Though if this is limited to the Leaf I would say Hoshimaru."

"Hmm really? I was thinking that dark haired girl. The one who always trained with Sasuke Uchiha before he turned bad."

Kurai let out a laugh. "Ayumi, the girl resorts to hitting below the belt most of the time. Anyone who is so weak they feel the need to do that to win is sad. You ever heard of Jemaru Bur-"

The door opened cutting them off. A brown skinned man in his early thirties entered. His eyes were as brown as his skin, his hair spiked and pulled behind him. "Sorry for keeping you waiting gentl- L-ladies!"

The girls stared back at the new comer. Kurai stepped for forward. "About time. We're the Konoha shinobi you requested."

"A-ah yes, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a few more minutes." He closed the door and let a slightly panicked look appear on his face. He rushed over to a very dark skinned- almost black- Kumogakure shinobi. "You ordered the shinobi from Konoha right?"

The dark man nodded, "Is that a problem."

"The problem is they're all girls! Why are they all girls!" If he hadn't been trying so hard the whisper, the man surely would have been yelling. "Not a single man on that team! I asked for guards, not princesses!"

The man simply frowned back. "You asked for shinobi from Konoha to assist in guarding the prison while our guards are on break. Konoha assigned it to those four young kunochi as they had the skills and happened to be available. How is it a problem, Jiro?"

The brown man Jiro shifted a little and replied. "Well...you know girls. They tend to be weaker. If they start doing make-up while a prisoner is breaking his lock-"

"Then Konaha will be informed and handle it. Now stop being rude and welcome our temporary guards." Jiro was shoved back down the hallway.

He reached the door where he left them to find one of the girls standing in front of it waiting. Kurai wore all black and a dark mask with blue marking. "Are you the one who hired us?"

"Umm...Yes in a way. I'm Jiro-"

She held out a card. It held nothing but an odd symbol of a fish. "You asked for ANBU if possible to assist you. They are busy right now, so you'll have to accept a lower member." She tucked the card back. "I am a member of KIO. Call me Nenriki Mei."

"Mei..." He repeated.

"Your name is Jiro, correct?"

"Er...yes."

"We will not be underestimated, Jiro." She said sharply. "I wear my mask because I was chosen as one of the best. One of my team was handpicked by me and the other two by the Hokage herself. We are not simple kunochi. We are fully capable of guarding S-rank felons. All we ask is for our pay and _equal treatment without discrimination_. Understand?"

_'She knew!' _Jiro thought, but didn't show his fear. "Very well. I understand. You're already impressing me. I shall like to meet all of you now.

He opened the door and asked for names.

"You've met me. I'm leader for this mission."

"I'm Yoshino Isamu!" Isamu smiled. She had brown hair put up into pigtails. She dressed in bright blue and black. Her skirt had the symbol of the Yoshino clan: a blue circle with a slit-like shape inside and four catlike stripes coming out toward the slit. Four black marks were also on her face, making her look a lot like a kitten had magically gotten a human body.

"Miharu Ayumi." The second brunette introduced herself. She had a black and white top with green pants and gloves she was currently tightening around her hands. Bandages covered her arms, but it didn't look like she had done any recent training (that injured her at least). She didn't look like the strongest, but she looked determined and good at what she did.

"Fuuma Amaya." The last one said quietly. She was more Gothic in appearance than Kurai. Her hair was long and black with white strikes at the sides. She wore black with red on the chest of her shirt and many bandages. A blindfold was wrapped around her, hiding her eyes. Jiro wondered how she could see with it on. She was facing his way and her vision seemed unaltered by the cloth.

"Right...nice to meet you ladies. My name is Jiro and I will be in charge of your assignments here. This way please."

They exited the room and walked down a dark hallway. He explained as they went one.

"Most of the prisoners here are A rank. There are some S rank here, but you'll only be dealing with a few. S ranks are under different, more extreme guarding conditions. Due to security measures I can not describe to people outside the village the details of their imprisonment.. I apologize but hope you understand the situation."

"We understand." Ayumi replied, "So who do we deal with?"

"You have the basic guard duties with the A ranks."

"What about B-"

"There is no B rank. Only low A rank criminals. You will have night shift, so you'll have to be extra alert."

"Okay, so we guard A-ranks and prevent escape at night." Isamu said. "What if an S-rank escapes and your security can't handle it."

"If that rarity happens, you will receive orders from me or another Cloud-nin."

"But otherwise we don't deal with them at all, right?"

"Well I won't say that..." Jiro said. He went down a hall lit by torchlight. At the end, they could barely see a cage.

"You see the thing about the S-rank is the prisons are complex. We can't have enough to put every single high rank felon in one. So we move a few to the higher A-rank prisons when space gets to crowded. This one for example, is S-rank for extreme mass murder. However prison chains seem to have worn him down to a weak level and he doesn't know any jutsu. If he does anyway, there are seals here that prevent most."

Ayumi's eyes widened in awe. "S-ranked without knowing jutsu. I'd understand if it was a Tai Jutsu master, but-"

"Woah! He's huge!" Isamu shouted.

Jiro rolled his eyes, but the others stared at the prisoner. The cloud jonin guessed it was because he had seen this mans appearance before and he had to admit, he was huge. He tapped a bar. "Brom-san. Are you awake?"

The man grunted and sat up. Prison didn't spare him any favors. His beard had grown back over the months and his face was dirty. His muscles were weaker and his eyes glared darker than before and not just because of the dark circles under them.

"One of these young ladies will bring you food after the tour." Jiro said, turning around. "C'mon."

Amaya and Ayumi followed and so did Kurai at first. She stopped and realized Isamu wasn't with them still. The girl doubled back and found the cat girl squatting down at the edge of Brom's cage.

"Brom-san~ That's your name?" Isamu asked.

"Yeah..."

"How tall are you."

"I dunno. At least seven, maybe eight feet. I don't like keeping track of shit like that"

"Wow...I bet you've thrown some people. Is that how you killed them?"

Kurai stepped back as Brom let out a loud laugh. "Haha! You know, I really have killed quite a few that way."

"So how old are you?"

"Dunno. Stopped counting after eighty-eight."

"Really?"

"No. Not really." Kurai said, putting a hand on her friends shoulder. "Come on Isamu. We're falling behind."

Isamu shrugged. "Long hallway and they're walking. We'll catch up with we run. Besides I'm curious. This guy isn't in the Binbo Book. My sensei loaned me a copy once and I never saw anyone like you in it." She looked back at Brom. "I kinda like you. You're interesting."

"Thanks." Brom muttered back. "Yah know, I kinda like you too. I have a student your age."

Kurai smirked. "Are you sure he's not fifty-six, but stopped counting?"

"Kuraiii!"

"Tch, yah don't think we're a threat." Brom grinned back at her, moving closer to the bars of the cage. "I hope you're a god fearing girl. Our god made us immortal."

* * *

"Okay, let's rest here."

Sora stopped running and looked around. It certainly felt higher up and the land was mountainous. "You know where we are, right?"

"Right. We're just outside of Kumo. The Maxium Security Prisons should be away from the village."

"Why would it be away? Shouldn't it be in Kumogakure since it's a Kumogakure prison."

"But it's a prison. If the prisoners escape, you don't want them inside the village where they can hurt families, do you?"

Sora grinned a little, "Depends. Are we looking at this as a stupid shinobi or as us, because personally I don't care if they die."

Kitai just frowned. "We'll spend the night here and search in the mor-" He coughed suddenly. "Morning." His red eyes moved around. He had sworn he had just someone, but he didn't feel much chakra. He could hear movement.

He looked over and Sora. The kid seemed to feel it too. They both reached for their swords.

A twig snapped and the swords whipped out. There was a shine of reflected light as a metal helmet. Kitai instinctively started to attack, but Sora reached out and grabbed his shoulder stopping him.

"Sora! What are you-" He noticed Sora wasn't paying much attention, but staring at the figure emerging, his mouth open in disbelief.

The head of a brown bear came out of the bushes with the helmet. The bear seemed to smile for a moment and said in a deep voice. "I knew I smelled you."

"Smell-"

"Kanemaru!" Sora rushed over to the bear, who let out a small roar and put his front paws up. Kitai rushed next to him, thinking he was going to be attacked. He halted and blinked as Sora grinned and grabbed the bear's paws. It was a greeting.

"You...you know him, Sora?"

"Huh?" Sora looked over. "Yeah I know him. He's Brom-senpai's summing animal. He was there when he-" Sora looked back at Kanemaru, looking much less happy. "What happened the night of the fight? When the ANBU attacked us?"

Kanemaru's expression turned sober. "You disappeared."

"I had two, maybe three ANBU attacking me! I blacked out! I woke up and you both were gone! What happened!"

"...they captured him."

"We know that! What happened!" Sora screamed.

"You disappeared in the fight- I guess due to the people attacking you. I was fighting hard too. We were...outnumbered. That's the best excuse we have for losing. Anyway, I got held down and they began to place these...these papers on Brom. Seals. I was sealed too. Forced back into the world of summoned animals. I made my way back here over time...it wasn't easy."

"He's in Kumogakure Maximum Security Prison." Kitai said, "He's still around. I bet the seals are just preventing him from getting out or summoning you."

Kanemaru looked at the red head for a moment, then back at Sora. "We can break him out tonight then. The prison's not that far."

"Wo-wo-woah! Tonight!" Kitai put his hands up, "We just got here from the Land of Fire! We're tired."

"I'm not tired." Sora said flatly. He glared a little at Kitai.

"But you're not full energy ether. If we just run in there with no plan, we're going to end up in prison next to him."

"Then at least I'll be able to see him. To learn from him again-"

"No you won't!" Kitai snapped. "You'll be treated like enemies and separated! You won't talk to anyone and be expected to be a good little boy who keeps his head low and mouth shut...I know from experience." He admitted in the end.

Sora's frown straighted a little. He spoke sounding almost like a kid, "How can you expect me to sleep knowing we're this close to getting him?"

"..."

"Brom was late when he came back to find me. He said himself if he had just been a little earlier, I would have my hands."

Kitai shuttered a little at this, thinking of the metal stretching up Sora's right arm. Sora had a strong point about sleep. He wasn't sure he himself would be able to sleep. "I'm about to meet another immortal..." He spoke out loud without realizing.

"Come on, kid. We're going. It's better to break him out at night anyway."

* * *

**The four girls who are guarding the prison were created by other people on Deviantart. Not by me. This chapter is old so some OCs mentioned may not be drawn by their creators. If you would like to know the usernames of these artists, PM me.**

**When I first started this fanfic, I was a beginning freshman in high school. I am now a high school senior who can't give up writing and am still working on tweaking this OC to make him interesting, even if I focus on other writing more. Thank you for still paying attention to Sora all this time.**


	23. Chapter XXIII

Rain fell in his face, but he didn't notice. It rained too much in his old home to notice. Instead he noticed the pain. It made his knees buckle and arms hang from the sore feeling. It made his breath shaky and he held it steady, raising his weapon.

The rival shinobi Mitsukai struck again, swinging his swords at lightning speed. Kenpatchi dodged again, slipping on the wet tiles. He found himself pinned down on the ground with a thin blade near his neck so close the slightest movement would make a huge cut!

"Hey umm…."

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't slit your throat." Mitsukai dared, glaring down from above.

"Well…I could use some help. Can you tell me how to pick up girls?"

The dark-haired ninja almost moved his sword and stepped back. Was this guy for real? Was that cocky grin on his face serious or just an act?

"No…"

"Why not?"

"Because, girls are a waste of time. We are missing nin and a relationship doesn't matter to us. You should take any hopes of getting a girl and drop them right now."

"Oh come on!" Kenpatchi yelled, "You have a girlfriend! What about that pretty brunette that was with you? The one with the genjutsu!"

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Oh…" His green eyes flatted, "Then I take it back. She wasn't that hot."

"I know. You still haven't given me a reason."

"How about I've done nothing to you!" His voice rose to pleading again.

"You're in the way." The sword came down and nicked at the neck. Before it could further, Kenpatchi's eyes flashed dangerously.

A green flame like material shot out of the red cut. Mitsukai gasped and shot back as the chakra climbed up his blade and crawled across Kenpatchi's body. "Hey buddy!" He yelled. His lizard came running and knocked the opponent flat on his back. He looked up behind the dragon, eyes wide.

The man was glowing! Green chakra covered his body head to toe. Behind him a bright green tail of chakra swooshed back and forth. He laughed out loud, as though half believing it himself! "I finally mastered it. You're the first one to see this. This-" He pressed his foot down on Mitsukai's chest, "-is my clan's greatest jutsu!" He grinned widely, "_Chakra Tokage Hensei (Chakra Lizard Formation/Metamorphosis)"_

The green chakra was shaky in movement as he struggled to control it. That didn't stop the burn of its touch as Kenpatchi dug his foot deeper into Mitsukai's chest. Rough claws of chakra formed at his finger tips.

"I have no reason to hurt you." He said, "I can't do this long, so lets just talk it out before I hurt you."

_'stupid' _Mitsukai thought, "Do you really think the girls are spending their time talking right now?"

"Hey, it's very possible." Kenpatchi shrugged, softening his press a bit. "They could be becoming best friends right now."

"Fuck you, bitch!"

Purple energy pulsed from Yuu's hands. Not real, but it might as well be with all she was going to that blonde bitch! How did she know! She had eight clones exactly like her running in different directions when she caught up! She should have chased one of them! But somehow she knew they were all fake.

When the time came to follow one, the blonde stopped and watched them run. Then she turned and looked up. Straight up into the tree that she was hiding in!

"How did you know where I was!" Yuu screamed.

"I asked myself where I would run if I was trying to escape. Where would be my best bet in this city?" Natsuki answered. She held four sharp senbon in her hand and aimed them. "I realized my best bet would be not to take any chances. I would hide and stay in my spot, guaranteeing that my opponent followed a clone the wrong way. Then I could escape in the opposite direction."

The needles were thrown and Yuu hissed as they sunk into the side of her out. She yanked them out, mumbling "Great minds think alike I guess."

Natsuki drew her giant scroll out, ready to summon. "I want my money."

The alleyways of the prison were dark both day and night. Amaya had no idea what time it was, just that it was sometime late into the night. She gave a small yawn and thought of her team. They had been split up like a compass: north tower, west wing, east wing, and south entrance. Isamu had been particularly upset with the setup. She was expecting to be with Kurai. Kurai, however, agreed with the arrangement and Isamu's arguments ended there.

Amaya herself was in the west wing. Her black boots clicked against the floor as she headed to the entrance to the wing. The clicks were echoing it was so quiet. The prisoners were too far away to hear her and they all seemed to be asleep. Maybe if she left for just a bit she could check the time and see how much longer her shift lasted.

She stiffened. Did she hear something? Another guard?

"Can you smell him?"

"Not long distance but I can track him now."

"Which way do you think he is?"

"Turn left up ahead."

Left. That lead to the west wing. Her wing! She drew a few kunai and hid behind a wall.

The shortest one went ahead, followed closely by some animal. It growled lowly as he got closer and she recognized it as a bear. "Kitai..." the growl was so low she couldn't hear the rest.

Next thing she knew, a red headed man was beside her, sword raised. She blocked with the kunai in her hand. A second sword from Kitai came down and sliced at her side. She fell over.

"Let's go! There could be more! We can finish them off when we have Brom." Kitai said. "Hurry Sora!" Sora and the bear ran off ahead, followed closely by Kitai rushing up.

Amaya groaned and sat up, blood leaking out of her abdomen. She clawed the wall and used it to pull herself up. She kept reaching. Where was it? Her hand pressed against glass. She formed a fist and broke it. Then she reached in and pulled the handle.

_**BUUZZZZZ BUZZZZZZ BUZZZZZZ**_

The alarm echoed through the dark halls. Bright red lights, let up, illuminating it. Kurai, Ayumi, and Isamu looked up and ran. They met in the center. Kurai took charge. "Amaya sent that alarm. West wing."

She and Ayumi ran. Isamu sprinted ahead of them. "Amaya!" Chakra flowed through her veins and her blue eyes shining. It glowed at her finger tips and took a liquid form.

"Shit!" Sora sprinted, Kitai coming closer and passing him. The new girl was on their tail, pulling water straight out of the air!

"_Raining Nail Jutsu!"_

A sharp shower of water came crashing toward them. Kitai was the last to turn the corner. He heard the rain come crashing into the wall behind him. It sounded like metal!

"Sora, you know where he is, right?" He yelled ahead.

"I know! I can track him easily from here!" The bear answered for him.

"Go and get him. He can help break us out. Sooner he's free the better! I'll hold them off!"

The two ran ahead without bothering to reply.. Kitai doubled back and charged at his attackers.

The pigtailed girl shot her water at him again. Her white teeth showed in the dark, appearing very fang-like. He dodged the water again, jumping up and landing his feet on the metal wall. He looked around for something he could use against her. She didn't seem like close-combat type, which meant he was screwed if he couldn't get close to her. And there was no way he was getting close with water being shot left and right.

He shifted around, dodging the nails thrown at him. He spotted a dark figure, holding herself up using the wall. It was the girl she attacked, the blindfolded one. It was slipping off. He wondered for a moment why she didn't just take it off and use it to cover her wound. Her hand went to a second glass covered switch, identical to the one she had pulled to start the alert.

"Don't!" The other girl shouted loud over the buzzing sirens. "That one pulls down the gate! We won't be able to get backup!"

Kitai's red eyes flashed and the girl released her mistake, covering her mouth too late. Kitai rushed over and kicked the gothic kunoichi out of his way. Blood from her injury splattered onto his boot, making him wince. "Sorry." He wrapped this hand around the lever and pulled down.

Ayumi and Kurai saw the gate closing ahead of them. The movement added more noise to the wailing alarm system as the ceiling came down to the floor to seal off the west wing. "Don't slow down or we won't get through! Sprint!" "Hai!"

The two girls sprinted ahead in a mad dash. Kurai dunked down low while running and Ayumi summersaulted, making it under just in time.

Jiro and half a dozen Kumo-nin came up to the door a moment later. "Dammit! What was the point of that!" Jiro cursed. He turned to one of his men. "Gather up all the forces you can. Keep the prisoners in lockdown, but give them minimal protection. I want to stage an ambush. The gate has to open eventually. There are no other exits. When the intruders come out, they'll be arrested instantly."

"What if they use a bomb, break their way out?"

"Impossible. The walls were built with chakra seals inside them. Even if they could, boarder security will alert us."

"What about the Konoha shinobi inside? If Konoha finds out we just left them in there-"

"There is no way to get in!" Jiro snapped. "We tell Konoha the truth. They ran in on their own without waiting for orders from us. What happens to them from here we have no control over..." Jiro closed his eyes for a second, imagining all the grief and law suits he might have to handle if those girls didn't make it. He hoped they were as strong as they claimed they were. His eyes opened.

"What are you all standing around for? Go!"

Ayumi found Amaya on the floor and ran up to her first. The blindfold was off and she looked up at her for the first time with golden eyes. "I'm sorry...I failed."

"No, you did great." Ayumi was no medical ninja- she was absolutely no master at controlling her chakra they way they did- but she took Amaya's blindfold and used it as a bandage. It stained red at contact. "You were able to alert us when they got here and now the wall's closed so they can't escape. That was a huge help." She tied it as she spoke. She hoped she had done it right, at least enough so it won't be infected.

Amaya closed her eyes. "Thanks Ayumi...kick his ass."

The brunette stood up guarding Amaya's body. "With pleasure." She said taking out a scroll. The intruder in sight was a red head, in the middle of a battle with Isamu. She pressed her palm against the scroll and summoned a bow. She drew back the string and muttered a jutsu. Fire shot out of her fingers and formed an arrow aimed at them. "Isamu! Duck!"

Isamu dodged out of the way as the flaming arrow shot at them. The intruder was not so lucky. Fire shot through his clothes, burning them away and turning his skin black. "I think there's two more ahead!" Isamu shouted as her foe was distracted. "They ran ahead to Brom-san's cage."

Kitai suddenly looked at her shocked, as though his wounds didn't exist. "Brom! You know Brom?"

Ayumi took the chance to fire another arrow. It was a direct hit and Kitai tried to bat the flames away to get them off, screaming loudly. "He's after that Brom guy!" She said, vaguely remembering the tall man. Come to think of it, it was probably this hall he was down. "I'll hold this creep off! Go!"

"Let's go." Kurai said to Isamu, dashing ahead. Isamu tailed behind her.


	24. Chapter XXIV

**Longer chapter than usual. Just warning. **

* * *

Yoshino Isamu dashed ahead. By her side, her bag banged against her leg. She had forgotten it was there. Kurai seemed to read her mind.

"Isamu, how is your water?"

"I...I think I might have used some. I still have enough though."

"Good, because we'll need it."

Isamu quietly agreed. She reached into the bag and felt the jar. The lid was slightly open, but the inside wasn't of the bag wasn't wet. It hadn't spilt. She dipped her fingers into the liquid. It felt good, calming in the tough situation she was in. The water hardened in layers over her fingernails.

* * *

Yuu was furious. Why won't this bitch just die! Violet vapors shot up around her, creating a horrible storm. The night sky clouds turned pink from all the light of her genjutsu.

Natsuki stared, eyes shaking. It was so obviously genjutsu. Just genjutsu she told herself. Genjutsu she couldn't break. But what if it further? What if she went into her mind and made her hurt herself. She pulled her wolf puppet closer to herself. If the girl controlled her, she wasn't going to control _her_ puppets. She was the only master of them.

Yuu's hands glowed with purple flame and she lunched it at her. Natsuki took a direct it. It burned! She could actually feel the illusion burn! She put her hands together and bit down. _Break it! Break it! Break it!_

It broke, but not by her will.

A green flash appeared; one that was previously overshadowed by the violet genjutsu. Kenpatchi had Yuu pinned knocked down. She hit the ground, bruised a little but no real harm. She didn't seem to think so. The criminal cried out and looked up with wet eyes. She wasn't used to falling like that. She was also hurt that she had been so easily distracted, she hadn't notice the real world sneaking in on her.

"That hurt.." She choked up in a whiny voice, "How could you hit a girl so hard?"

Natsuki calmed down and relax, only to be immediately pissed off by Kenpatchi looking guilty and falling for the act.

"I'm sorry! I just wanted to break the genjutsu! I guess I could have grabbed you from behind and-"

"You're such an _asshole!_"

"Both of you shut up." Mitsukai said. He managed to make his voice louder but keep it calm. Yuu and Kenpatchi both quieted and Natsuki looked at him with a new respect.

Mitsukai tossed Natsuki a small bag of money. "Your hirer barely had enough money to pay you anyway. I think you two are acceptable missing-nin for being able to stand up to us anyway." Natsuki caught the bag and stared, confused. They were just handing the money over?

Yuu sat up from the ground and rubbed her bruised elbow. She glared at the two teenagers. "You aren't going to say thank you? We're paying you extra than you would have got if we haven't killed the damn captain."

"Thank you-"

"What about the scroll?" Natsuki interrupted. This was too fishy. If they were willing to give extra for that scroll, it must be more valuable than the price they were being offered. Everyone had to make a profit somehow.

"It's a genjutsu scroll for advanced masters." Yuu stated. "Only people like me can use it. That's why I wanted it so badly. I don't want any money out of it."

"It's not worth getting into another fight about anyway." Mitsukai pointed out. "You'll be better off accepting the offer than you would be bargaining."

Natsuki sighed and realized they were right. "...thank you for your business then."

* * *

Sora ran faster. They were almost there. He could see Brom's face clearly in his head. He could be standing with him, fighting with him, learning from him again. His chest pounded as he thought for a moment. _We could be like father and son again._ The thought disappeared as quickly as it came and he barely knew where it came from in the first place.

A cold feeling rushed through him. Like someone dumped a bucket of ice water on him. Sora snapped back to reality and realized he was surrounded by cold water. It swooshed around him, glowing in a weird way that normal water couldn't. His mouth opened and he choked, becoming colder as the water snuck inside him.

Kanemaru turned around suddenly. He saw Sora in the middle of a giant floating sphere of water. The water came from a small pigtailed girl with it's jar at her waist. Her hand went up to her mouth and she mumbled, _"Crystal Vortex Jutsu"_

A vibration ripped through the water and the whole circle came to live. Sora opened his mouth in a scream as the water tore at him. Slashes appeared in his clothes and cut into his stomach. Kurai stared from under the masked when she saw the metal shine through the sleeves. The water turned red and Kanemaru began to growl.

The growl grow to a roar and he tackled the girl, pinning her to the wall with his front paws. The water splashed down, taking Sora with it. He propped himself up to his knees and vomited the bright blue water up. There were some deep slashes in his stomach and on his legs. His white gloves had been cut to ribbons and his jacket wasn't in much better shape. He tried to take them both off. Kurai kicked him down.

"Kurai!" Isamu screamed. Kurai whipped her head around to see the bear _picking up _Isamu with his paws and _throwing her at her!_ Kurai caught her, but the two bumped heads hard.

"Go!" Kanemaru called, pushing Sora ahead with his head. Sora got up and ran, ignoring the cuts in his legs and the opening ones in his stomach. He was immortal. Cuts like this were child's play compared to what he could take. Brom had taught him that. And now he was going to save him.

The tunnel seemed to get brighter when Sora spotted the cage in front of him. That had to be him! There was no where else he could go. Kanemaru became equally excited. He jumped up, putting his paws up on the front bars. He put the lock between his sharp teeth and crushed it. Sora ripped paper after paper off the wall, not feeling the pain through his metal hands. If the pain was sent through his entire body he couldn't feel it.

"Brom-dono!" "Senpai!"

Brom stared still taking it in. They came for him. They actually came for him! He had been curious when the sirens started ringing, but he assumed an S-rank had broken from his cage. No, that hadn't been the case. Some one had _broken in _to get him out.

The door opened and Brom stepped out of his cell. He hadn't been able to sit up in weeks, his cell was far too small for his large body. His back hurt. His dull brown eyes looked down at his rescuers like a shinobi would look at a genjutsu- wondering if it was real or not.

"Am I dreaming...?" He sloped down, back bent. "No!" Sora said excitedly. "No! This is real and we're going to get you out! We have another man ahead who is going to help and..."

Sora talked on, taking Brom's hand in his own and trying to pull him ahead, smiling widely. Kanemaru became nervous. Something was off. Brom looked to different. The beard was expected, but Brom looked far too skinny than he should, as though he were even skipping meals the prison gave him. His muscles were gone. His face looked older, twenty years closer to his real age than it had when he was free. The part they scared him most was the eyes. They were dull, like the life was being sucked out. Dead eyes.

"and we have some insane bitches coming after us so we gotta go now!" Sora gave the hand a final tug. "Say something!"

Brom didn't say anything. His weight shifted and he started to stumble forward.

Kanemaru got under him and caught him before Sora was crushed. The man was heavy but he could carry him. He began walking. "C'mon. We're almost out. Sora, you'll have to handle the girls."

Sora just stared at Brom, realizing the weakness for the first time.

"Sora!"

"Sora...let me talk to him, Kanemaru..."

Kanemaru stopped, "but-"

"Kanemaru you're my summon dammit!" Brom yelled. "You're supposed to follow my every order! Follow my damn order, take care of the guards, and leave us alone!" It was the first time he had really spoken up.

Kanemaru stood still for a moment. Then he hesitantly took Brom to a wall and with Sora's help managed to lean the tall man on it. He looked between them and after seeing Brom's glare, ran back down the tunnel.

"Sora..."

"Yes, senpai!" Sora leaned in. He was starting to get really worried, he wasn't sure why. Why couldn't this talk wait? They were immortal and they had had all the time in the world.

"...what do numbers have to do with Jashin-sama?"

This wasn't the time for such stupid questions. Sora answered, "There are certain numbers that stand out strongly in religion. Any religion, right?"

Brom managed a small nod. "What numbers?"

"Seven, that's why people think it's lucky...Thirteen is unlucky..."

"And..."

"And...three...that's why three is everywhere. That's why it's always three wishes."

"Good...that's why Jashin made three immortals..."

"Three immortals. Yeah. I have the third one with me! His name is Kitai Misuto and-"

"No...Sora that's great, but you're wrong..."

"He's not immortal?" Sora looked crushed.

"That's not what I meant." Brom sighed. "Let me explain.

"A hundred years ago, there were no ninja villages. Just the Lands and the clans that lived in them. The first organized group were the Jashinists."

"The Jashinists..." Sora smiled feeling proud.

"Jashin-sama ruled for years, years before the villages came into power. We were the first the use the number three and create three man teams. I was a member. I had a team."

Sora listened more closely. It was hard for him to imagine a younger Brom. He seemed too old to have ever been a teenager.

"We had a sensei and learned Jashinism from her. I was a member for a few years...then the villages were formed. They saw Jashinism as a threat. There was a genocide."

"Genocide?" Sora had never heard the term before.

"Remember some years ago when the Uchihas were wiped out. It was in the news everywhere. Maybe you were too young-"

"No I remember!" Sora said. He was young, but he remembered the commotion it caused in his small town. Some said the Uchiha Clan was the same size of the town itself. It was possible to kill the entire town, to kill your entire family too! People had been scared.

"It's like that. An entire race was wiped out. The villages decided that a religion that kills should be killed. They tried to wipe us from history." Brom's eyes were far away as he spoke. "The temples were destroyed. Everyone was killed. We watched our senpais and masters fall dead before us. Those who survived only did so because they abandoned us. They joined the villages and killed once-friends.

"We ran away, ran to the edge. But eventually we were caught too. At least close to it. There was no way to escape. Then we tried an experiment. A ritual that would allow us to serve Jashin after death. We commented suicide on Jashin's circle...we fell down and thought we were dead. Really it was more like we were knocked out. We woke up in realized we weren't in Jashin-sama's realm yet. We were still at the edge of the temples...the buildings were ruined...everyone was gone.

"We tested it out and realized Jashin-sama was stronger. He made us immortal so that his power won't ever die. We were stabbed, burned, drowned, shocked, pushed, it didn't matter what happened; each time we lived. We stayed undercover as a three man team, pretended we weren't Jashinists, hiding our sacrifices much more carefully. We discovered the sacrifice and ways to kill..."

Brom stopped and started coughing. Sora stared and said, "What does that have to do with it?"

"Everything." Brom said coldly. "Sora...you're immortal. Do you know why?"

"Because God choose me."

"When did you do the ritual?"

"I..." Sora felt a rock sink into his stomach. "I never did it. I don't know.

"I don't ether. When my team separated we agreed to each pick a follower. In a new generation, there would be another three immortals, each selected by us. But why did you live out of all those I picked?"

"All those you picked?"

Brom looked more distant than ever. "Did you really think you were the only damn kid I picked out of poverty and introduced to Jashinism? Did you think you were my damn kid!"

The words hit Sora hard, each one like a sharp blade. All the open wounds from the water jutsu, all the scars he had from the past. Maybe if all the pain from all of them combined, it might come close to a small percent of the pain he felt at that moment.

Brom coughed again and his breath became shaky. "Find an immortal...answer your questions...Takahiro...Inochi...with me we're the original three. If they don't work, find...find the new ones. I don't know them, but I heard of one...Hidan...an Akatsuki member."

Sora swallowed the lump in his throat. "Why are you telling me this? You're coming with me."

At this, life shot out of Brom's eyes for the first time. He laughed out loud and didn't stop, even as Sora stared at him in horror. "I've been suffering in prison. You have strength I don't. I'm weak. I'm in pain. I've been praying for the pain to end and Jashin-sama's taking mercy on me. Sora..." At this point Kanemaru and Kitai came running toward them. They stopped just in time to hear Brom's last words.

"Do you really think just because we're immortal something can last forever?"

* * *

"Sora..." Sora barely heard Kitai's voice. He just stared at his senpai. He clutched his hand tightly, never wanting to let go. His eyes dulled so much, they almost looked like Brom's dead ones. A hand landed on his shoulder, jolting him back to live.

"Sora we have to go. They're injured, but they'll be after us any second now." Kitai insisted. Sora stood up.

"We take senpai out of here. He doesn't deserve to be left dead here."

There was no argument or signs of agreement. They just did it. Kanemaru let the boys put Brom on his back. They walked down the torch lit hallway, their steps heavy. The siren had been turned off a while back, even though they were still in the building. They guessed there was no more need for alert.

They passed the masked girl Kurai and pigtailed Isamu. Isamu was using the remainder of her special water to treat Kurai, who looked like she had been mauled by Kanemaru. Kurai couldn't even notice their presence. Isamu looked at them, noticed the dead man, swallowed and instantly focused all her attention on Kurai to distract herself.

Further down, Sora felt his eyes grew heavy. They felt strange. If he had looked in a mirror in a lighter area, he would have seen thick shots of blood covering the white. The further they walked, the redder Sora's eyes became. They passed Ayumi's unconscious body. Kitai had mercifully knocked her out when he had gotten the chance.

"_**Dumb bitch, Kitai. Couldn't kill her like a proper Jashinist."**_

Sora almost tripped over his own feet. He knew that voice too well. It felt even more demonic.

Now was not the time to be seeing things others didn't. He looked straight ahead, straightening his back making him look too casual. He knew the demon was behind him now because it gave a sidesplitting laugh. Sora ignored it, eyes beginning to twitch.

They passed the dark girl, Amaya. She looked like she was sleeping. "Don't waste your breath on these girls." The demon laughed in his ear. "They're not the one's worth killing. They should die, but there is someone much more worth killing on the other side of the door."

"There should be a switch here that opens the door." Kitai examined the wall, looking for the one that had closed the door.

"Kitai-san, when the door opens there is bound to be guards on the other side. Plenty of them. And I can't fight with Brom-dono on my back." Kanemaru pointed out.

"They took one immortal, we still have two." Kitai replied.

"Two that didn't pray for death." Sora muttered bitterly. Kitai found the switch and the door gave a scratchy _**creeeeeeekkk**_before opening up. Kanemaru had been right. Many Kumo-nin were waiting for them outside the door. The three could tell just by seeing their feet they were organized, with weapons drawn to attack.

Sora saw the first shinobi and his mouth dropped. His eyes became instantly bloodshot.

The man was first and obviously the leader, standing in front with a slightly different Kumogakure uniform. His eyes and hair were both equal shades of brown and the hair was pulled back in spikes.

_The face was dark toned and strong looking. His hair was spiked up in the back. He had small brown eyes that were the same shade as his hair. _

Sora stared into those beady brown eyes. "FUCKER!" His right arm shot forward. Shinobi jumped back and kunai shot out from the exposed armor. They ripped straight into the man's gut. Sora came closer and yanked at the kunai, making them move but not come out.

"REMEMBER ME!" Sora yanked more each time the man shook his head. Blood was leaking out onto his shirt. "REMEMBER WHAT YOU DID TO MY HANDS!" The metal hands seemed to clank louder in his ears as he shouted.

One of the shinobi cried out "Jiro-sama!"

"Jiro! Is that your name you fucking bastard!" Sora reached into the skin and pulled at the kunai's handles. Jiro's body shook violently and blood shot out of his mouth. Sora yanked the kunai out and pressed the body to the floor.

Kitai grabbed Sora's shoulder. "Sora! NO! NOT NOW! WE HAVE TO GO!"

"_Ignore him. He's a failure. He isn't as concerned of getting out. He just wants you to stop. Kill him! Kill them all!" _

Kitai jumped back and Sora whipped out his sword and cut his arm. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" At this a few shinobi stopped staring and tried to help their commander. A blonde girl found herself charging first and had the katana thrown at her, pinning her forearm to the wall behind her. Another two men attacked to have Kunai shoved into their faces.

Kitai stared, eyes shaking, as his friend lashed out at any guard who dared to come close to him. "I'm sorry..." He lunged forward again and struck him on the head.

* * *

"Sir!" The Kumogakure nin saluted the man in front of her. Her eyes felt wet when he looked at him. He was tall with strong with dark skin only found in the mountains. His brown hair was pulled back into spikes behind his head. His brown eyes looked down at her. He looked so much like him.

"My commander...Your brother Jiro...He was killed during the break in at KumogakureMassSecurityPrison." She spit out as fast as she could. Her throat stung as she tried to talk.

The man just stared for a moment taking it in. He was feeling his heart sink into the ground.

"I see..."

* * *

"You two look alike. Why aren't you ever with him."

"Yes, we're identical twins. Jiro always handles...I'm sorry handled...cases in Kumo. I liked smaller cases better. Religious cases, usually far from the village. Odd things happen out there...one time I found a twelve year old murderer."

* * *

Brom was buried high up in the mountains far from civilization. They used various rocks to mark and cover the grave. Kitai, Sora, and Kanemaru were the only ones who attended the burial, as none of them could think of anyone they knew who Brom would want to be there.

"I stole you a new jacket." Kitai handed Sora one to replace the one that had burned away in the maze. Unlike his last one, this one was much bigger and looser and black instead of red. It felt sickening getting it at a funeral.

Kanemaru slept at the side of the grave. He won't leave it, even to get food for himself. Sora stared at it and looked at Kitai.

"Brom-senpai explained to me that immortality comes in threes. He said long ago he and two other friends of his became immortal...Do you remember how you became immortal?"

"To be honest...if there was any immortality in me, it's wearing thin." Kitai replied. "When I became immortal, Jashin-sama talked to me. The more I think about it, the more I imagine I was just making it up in my head."

Sora was quiet for a moment, then decided to go on, as though Kitai had never answered. "So last generation a hundred years ago, there was him and his team. They set out to train the next generation."

"I was never trained." Kitai said sadly.

"Well maybe you're just so special that you didn't need training." Sora said hopefully. This time, Kitai acted as though he hadn't heard. Sora kept talking.

"So there's you and me...there's a third one out there. Senpai said his name...one name, no family name...DAMN IT WHAT WAS IT!"

"You don't remember?" Kitai looked back over at him.

"It was...something like Hidden...I haven't heard it before..."

"...well I don't know about Hidden." Kitai smirked. "But there is a guy said to be immortal named Hidan."

* * *

**This is the end of an arc in Sora's story. Exciting c: well exciting for me anyway. The next coming chapters will take place before Akatsuki and any of the ninja villages, about 100 years ago. Stay tuned. **


	25. Chapter XXV

**I appoligize for late update. I thought this chapter was updated. As a bonus, you watchers still with me (somehow) get the second chapter (which is 95% done right now) much sooner.**

* * *

**Setting: Fire Country. About 100 years before Shippuden **

"Senpai, where are we going?"

"To the Jashinist's temples. That is the place the fills alls us with hope."

"What if I'm made fun of again?"

"Pardon?"

"Cause of my height. I'm a freaking dinosaur!"

"Brom-san, here you height might just be your advantage.

* * *

Inochi stood outside the house, tapping her foot. The Sloth must have woken up on time for once. Otherwise Shikai won't be running so late.

The house in front of her was entirely made of wood. It was built into the forest behind it, sinking into the trees. The clan symbol of a striped circle hung from a flag by the entrance.

She heard a few choose words being shouted and the sliding door slammed open and shut.

"The Sloth woke up early?"

The girl she asked was sixteen, same age as her almost exact to the date. She wore no shoes, but was clearly unaffected by any splinters in her house or rocks in her path as she walked over. Her hair was down and uncombed, black eyes narrowed more than usual, glaring ahead at nothing.

"I wish!" Shikai Nara snapped, pulling her deerskin jacket on. "He _has _to get up early but he won't! And he snaps at me for not putting my own hair up..."

As she said this, Inochi was pulling up the black hair and running her fingers through it to get rid of the tangles. Shikai blushed a little. "I just...I like the feeling when someone like you does it."

The girls made the way down the street. A few people glanced their way when they passed past the boarders of clan territory. Inochi couldn't blame them. It wasn't often you saw two people so opposite together. Inochi was blonde and beautiful, her hair back in a neat ponytail, wearing a noble kimono and walking straight, clearly of high rank. Shikai was dirty and boyish, with a flat chest and dark hair, plain clothes and a dark glare. People took double takes when looking at the pair, wondering if perhaps the rules should be switched. It seemed to them like Shikai should be Inochi's servant and doing her hair.

"Can you believe the Naras."

Inochi stopped doing Shikai's hair and both girls looked over at the speaker. Both knew stereotypes well. Shaggy hair, red dagger-like marks on his cheeks, and a dog trailing next to his leg. This young man was a Inuzuka. There was another man next to him, who covered his face completely. Impossible to tell for sure, but almost always an Aburame member if he was a friend who never showed his face.

"Didn't mean any offense, but damn! What's with your leaders?" The Inuzuka said, keeping a smirk on his face as if the whole thing was a joke.

Shikai glared at him. "What's wrong with the leaders?"

"The head clans' Ino-Shika-Cho alliance. The Nara clan screwed up on that one. I understand bad luck, but at least make the best of it."

"Excuse me." Inochi put a hand on a hip and glared as well.

"Oh miss Yakanama-"

"_Yanamaka!"_

"Yanamaka, your clan has done nothing wrong, lovely. Two girls, it's only wise to put the older one in the alliance. My problem is with the Nara's. Two twins, boy girl. They put the freaking girl in the alliance-"

Shikai rushed forward. All except her blinked and missed it but when they opened their eyes, the Inuzuka was doubled over on the ground, groaning. Inochi smirked picturing what she had down. Shikai whipped around and drove her heal into the young man's head.

His dog snarled and lunged at her. She countered with a punch to stomach before it could bite or claw at her. The Aburame man kept his distance, expression completely unreadable.

"It wasn't a personal insult. You're not in charge. You should go with your girlfriend and get lost kid."

_Shit, he did it. _Inochi stepped back as Shikai flipped her head around at him. Though she could only see the back of her head, she was sure steam was coming out of the ears.

"My name is Nara Shikai! I'M THE GIRL IN THE ALLIANCE!"

Shikai's shadow shot to life. Dark spikes came out of the ground and pinned the man to the tree behind him.

That was when Inochi decided it was enough. She took her friend's shoulder. "We don't want to kill him. There's enough tension between the clans as it is."

"What's our clan head going to think when he finds out a high ranking Nara assaulted me?" The man said in a flat voice.

Shikai glared and lowered her shadow slowly. "I'll just say the truth. That he highly insulted the Nara clan and she was provoked."

The shadow became flat again. The girls went away as the young man and his dog started to pull themselves up. A safe distance away, Shikai gave Inochi a certain look, the type best friends give when they can know what the other thinks. Inochi gave a small nod and looked back. She put two fingers to the side of her head.

Her vision dulled. She couldn't see the green of the Inuzuka's jacket. Movement became sharper though and her hearing and sense of smell was better than ever. She stretched, shaking her new body from head to tail.

The man looked down at his husky and scratched behind the ears. "Easy boy. She's gone." Inochi looked back at him in her new body, stuck out her long tongue and panted in a very dog like way.

The man tugged on his jacket and turned to the Aburame. His voice echoed strangely in her head. "Can you believe them. Those clans have the worst luck!" The Aburame gave a small nod. "It's thirteen."

"Exactly." The Inuzuka sneered, fangs showing. "Thirteenth generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance. Bad luck showed before birth."

"I've only heard a little...rumors."

"That shit ain't just rumors!" The man growled, looking even more doglike. "You know how the alliance works?"

The Aburame shook his head. "Very little. Just that they are very close and the children are usually on the same team."

"It's not just that. You see..." The man's voice dropped.

"The head of each clan only has one child. The clan will always work together in teams occasionally, but those three children from the heads are the main Ino-Shika-Cho team. They're zealous about it, they fucking name the kids after it.

"Anyway, so the clan heads get together, they're all married, and they discuss the best time to knock up their wifes- cause the kids all have to be the same age for the team you know. So they planed the date about 16- 17 years ago. It was working out fine. Then three months into the pregnancy, the Akimichi woman miscarries. She can't have a kid.

"Half a year later, the Yanamaka and Nara families about to have their kids about the same time. Akimichi's still trying for a baby. Nara mommy's looking bigger then Yanamaka and they can't find out why. They assumed the kid's just big. She goes into labor early and they find out she was carrying twins: A guy and the girl we just saw. Nara's get some serious shame for a while. Yanamaka has a baby girl few days later."

"The one we just saw?"

Inuzuka shrugged. "Maybe.

"Anyway Akimichi still can't get pregnant. Having serious troubles, which spouse had the problem we're not a hundred percent sure. I guess the mom, cause if she did get pregnant, she always managed a miscarriage somehow.

"About two years later, Yanamaka mommy gets pregnant again accidentally. Caused a fuckin' riot. A lot thought she cheated with some guy. In the end, daddy was loyal even under his clan's pressure. So they had another child, girl again. She had the blonde hair, blue eyes, looked very much like her daddy. That ended any questions about an affair.

"Then another two years later Akimichi finally has a kid. Another damn girl. So there's your fucked up family." He counted off his fingers. "16, 16, 16, 14, 12. The number's cursed dude."

* * *

"I wanted to bite him." Inochi growled.

"You should have." Shikai laughed. "Bitten by his own puppy." She made her voice high and fearful. "_B-buddy! Whaz wong buddy? I'm your fwiend~!"_

Inochi laughed harder. A house appeared in front of them. It was about the same size of the Nara's, but the walls were painted pale pink. Outside the front of the house, a garden was stretching out with flowers and herbs and vegetables of all types the girls could name and more.

Sitting in the middle of the garden was a girl with a flowery kimono and long blonde hair. She held a small travel in her hand and was tending to a golden plant that was budding. She looked up and shielded her pale eyes from the sun. Her smile brightened when she saw them.

"Nii-chan!"

"Hey Inonii."

"What's going on?"

"I'm just finishing up." Inonii put the tool into a basket and stood up. "That plant's rare. Please don't step on it or anything."

"We won't." Both girls promised at the same time, as though this was requested a thousand times before.

Shikai looked at the sun. "My meeting should be coming up soon. I gotta go."

"Ok." Inochi hugged her friend tight. "Miss you."

"Bye Shikai."

"Cya girls." Shika hugged back tighter

* * *

Shikano Nara twisted the tool around in his hands. He had a great grip on the hand and was flipping it around and stabbing short distances with it.

"It's a tonfa. Some clans in grassy areas use it for grinding grain. A while ago they were captured and the clan they're under took away all their weapons. So they developed these into weapons. It's pretty useful." He flipped it up again and caught it. He jabbed it forward- "You can attack with this end" - And pulled in back with the long end in a defensive position- "Or block like this." He flicked the tool up in the air again.

Shikai snatched out her hand and caught it midair. Then she drove it down into the back of Shikano's head.

"Wow it is a good weapon." She smirked as Shikano rubbed where he was hit.

"Shikai!"

The twins looked at their father and the girl set down her tool. The clan head crossed his arms. "Is that all the report, Shikano?"

"Yes."

"In conclusion we can purchase these weapons from them cheap. The clan's under harsh rule and pretty desperate."

"Dad, that's not what I said."

"It's true isn't it."

"No it's not. I just gave a small first lesson they gave me. They're training with these and they've been using them for years. They'll eventually overpower-"

"This discussion is over." The head said in a louder voice. Shikano stayed silent and his sister looked at him oddly.

"Is there any other topics of this meeting?" Their father asked, scanning through the faces of adults at the meeting. Distant cousins stayed silent. Shikano raised his hand.

"Shikano, your turn is over-"

"I know-"

"There's no more arguing-"

"With all due respect, this is not about that." Shikano said firmly. All eyes were on him now. He cleared his throat and continued.

"Sarutobi has been dead for a while now. There's an elephant in the room no one's really addressing. For years now, the Sarutobi clan has been training up Nara members like my sister. This time the clan refuses to send another. They have their own problems and we understand that they cannot spare a man to play teacher.

"That's why I'd like to elect a new trainer for the Ino-Shika-Cho team. Myself."

All the people in the room started talking at once. Shikai managed to overpower them all.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!"

The room silenced and the head turned his hard glare to her.

"Shikai, leave."

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING WITH THIS! I'M NOT HAVING MY TWIN BROTHER AS MY SENSEI-"

"LEAVE!"

* * *

"INOCHI!" Shikai ran around the compound looking for her. "INOCHI!"

Two figures stood on the roof out of her sight.

"She a good recruit?"

"I don't know. She'll attract attention to her brother. He's a lot smarter."

"If he was so smart, he'll join us."

"He's not _that _smart." The second giggled. "C'mon lovely, we have to find the other one before she does." She disappeared in a flash.

"H-hey wait up!" The other disappeared in another flash.

Shikai turned her head to the roof. Her eyes narrowed at the dents in the rain gutter. Someone was just there. She knew it.


	26. Chapter XXVI

Inochi was out late. She liked to walk around the forest late at night. She had permission to be in this area because of the alliance, but most of it was restricted heavily by the Nara clan. No other humans came in this area. Inochi liked to go here and watch the deer in the distance. She liked it more when she saw a rebellious one come up closer to her. Those deer reminded her of Shikai.

Yet tonight the deer were unusual. They usually observed from a distance. Tonight, their ears twitched as she took a step and they ran off. How odd. They never did this to her; they were very used to her smell and knew she wasn't a threat.

Unless there was another threat around.

Her body stiffened like the deers' and she became much more alert. There was someone else. Most likely alone. It would be near impossible for a group to enter here without setting off more visible alarms.

A pair of hands jerked out and grabbed her sides. "Boo!"

She screamed, spun herself around and slapped the attacker.

"Ow...now what was that for?"

Inochi panted and squinted in the dark, looking for signs of an identity, a clan. Dark, black hair that ran down to his shoulders and spiked back. Just as dark eyes. Lines under eyes. Eyes flashing red.

"You're an Uchiha..."

"Yeah." The man cracked a smile, "I am." Inochi examined him more and realized he was about her own age.

"What did you do that for!" she demanded. "You're not even allowed to be in here. This is Nara territory!"

"You're not a Nara."

The moment he said it, she reached into her kimono and pulled out a paper. Three seals were stamped onto it. "I'm next in line for the Yanamaka head and member of the Ino-Shika-Cho Alliance. The Nara clan has granted me access to this area of their forest. There's no Uchiha with permission to get anywhere in here."

"Well aren't you a little smart ass."

"Excuse me?"

"You think a piece of paper proves anything. All this land belongs to the Uchiha Clan."

"Says who?"

"Says Madara Uchiha." The boy said with an evergrowing grin.

"..." Madara Uchiha was a name of a person someone like Inochi had only heard of but never actually met. His power was supposed to be supernatural. Stories of entire clans captured singlehandedly. Stories of burning down villages with blazing infernos. Stories that included demons.

"Alright, lets see your paper, signed and sealed by Madara Uchiha and then I won't bother reporting you for illegal trespassing. I'll only mention the sexual harassment."

"Sexu- what?"

"Sneaking up on me and grabbing me in the middle of the night."

"Oh that. That was no where close to sexual harassment."

"Then what the hell is your idea of it?"

"This!"

* * *

"He's attacking her."

"He'll make a nice sacrifice." One smirked. She jumped down and ran into the cleared area.

"Hey! Wait up!" The other yelled in a slightly higher voice. She jumped in next to her partner as she threw out a pair of spinning shurikin.

Inochi squirmed against the man's horrible girp on her. His arms were around her, hands on her stomach as if deciding whether to move up or down. She saw the flash of metal in the corner of her eye and twisted her body, bending it to her advantage. She spun so the man's back was directly in the shurikin's path.

The weapons sliced into the man's flesh causing him to scream and let go. Inochi kicked out her leg in response and hit him in the jaw. His head went flying back and she was freed completely.

The second partner flung out a strong coil made of a material Inochi didn't recognize. The rope twisted around the man's neck. The girl wrapped it in her fist and yanked, choking him. She yanked harder, pulling him off his feet and sending him through the air.

Inochi didn't waste time. She pulled out a tahno blade from her sleeve and threw it at the Uchiha. It shot straight forward and hit his chest with amazing accuracy. His dark eyes grew colder and all color drained from his skin.

When he hit the ground, she ran up and kicked him hard. "BASTARD!" She kicked repeatedly sending her foot crushing against his skull.

The two mysterious girls watched silently until her anger calmed.

"Um...sweetie? He's dead."

"I know that!" Inochi snapped back, ripping the blade from below his neck. "That just felt good." She held the knife up, looking upset. "Don't know how to put this away without getting my kimono bloody..." She slipped it in the inside after a moment, after deciding the blood won't be seen there. "So who are you?"

"I'm Tenshi." The girl with the coil spoke up. "This is my partner, Arei. She's great with projectiles."

Arei held out her hands in example. Four shurikin were spinning on her fingers.

Inochi still was confused. They were in Nara Territory, but clearly not Naras. Also they were fully cloaked and covered at night, making it impossible to make out any features.

"Who do you work for? What clan are you?"

"We're not part of a clan." Arei pulled up her sleeve and revealed a bracelet with a circle attached. The circle had an equilateral triangle inside it. "We're Jashinists."

Inochi looked at the pendant strangely. "You're not a clan. You're a cult!"

"Excuse us. We're just the cult that saved your life." Tenshi said, arms crossed.

"...I didn't say cult was a bad thing."

"Sure sounded like you did."

"I guess your God is looking after me though..."

Tenshi tilted her head back. "Yeah...I guess he is. We were looking for someone to convert." She looked back. "And look. We found you."

"Yeah...Jashin-sama's looking after me." She laughed a little. "Alright, I'll take a look at your religion. Give me 24 hours to straighten things out with the clans."

"Twenty four hours."

"Oh and if you don't join, we'll have to kill you~"

* * *

"Inochi!"

Inochi didn't listen. Her head was resting on her knees.

_I you don't join, we'll have to kill you~_

Wasn't much of a choice, was it? Then again, it had felt so good, killing that Uchiha. She knew how to kill as a ninja, but last night had been the most joy she had ever gotten from it. The most satisfaction she had gotten from it in a long time.

She felt almost high on killing sometimes. The pride she felt with Shikai when they defeated a murderer or abductor was amazing. They were sending horrible people to hell!

"Inochi!"

"Hmm?" Her head popped up.

Shikai was kneeled down next to her. "Are you even listening to me?"

"I-I am. I umm just had a rough night."

"SHIKANO IS GOING TO BE OUR SENSEI!"

"WHAT!" She jumped up to her feet. "You're kidding right! The _Sloth_ is going to be our sensei!" This was a joke to get her attention. It had to be.

"He fucking is!"

"What happened to the Sarutobi Clan!"

"They're having family issues right now and didn't want to give the alliance a leader. So my dumbass relatives decided _he _is the smartest so _he _should lead us!"

"That's bullshit!"

"I know!"

"You ladies are very encouraging." Shikano made himself noticed. He walked his way up the steps to the wooden house. His eyes were dark and his ponytail was badly made. Half of his hair fell, making him look even more like his sister than before- something Inochi had personally believed impossible.

"Who said we need you! You received just as much shinobi we training as us. Less even, because we work harder!" Inochi snapped, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"I'm the one trying to protect you!" Shikano snapped back even more violently. "Do you think I want to be around three girls!? To spend each and every day bitched at while I try to teach you in a job I can't really do in the first place!? I don't have any experience and frankly, I really don't care! It's a waste of time."

Inochi was struck silent. Shikai cocked her head at him. "Then why did Father tell me you would be our sensei now? And why did you even volunteer for it in the first place?"

"You saw how father was at the meeting." Shikano sat down on the porch with them. Their feet dangled next to eachother off the edge. "He never gave ether of us a chance to speak. He kicked you out of the room for trying to speak your mind, then did exactly what you didn't want. I predicted that if someone didn't step in, you two would eventually get a new sensei who would be controling, taking orders completely like that. The clan is corrupt."

Inochi looked at him, eyes wide. "Corrupt...?"

"Our leaders are old men upset by the newest generation. They are closed minded and refuse to listen to any ideas that they don't agree with. They don't agree with anything different or new ether. They try to cover it up with words like 'conservative' and 'traditional' but really they just don't want to be proven wrong."

"W-won't you get in trouble for saying that. I mean, these old men are still your family."

"Tch," A smile cracked on Shikano's face. "If I get in trouble for it, that just proves my point."

"Yeah...It would." Shikai looked at her brother and smiled back at him. This made Inochi smile as well.

Shikai's smile grew and she stretched her hand out in front of them. "Let's make a promise! Right now!"

"A promise?"

"Promise to what?"

"We are the next generation of the main branches of our families. We are the future rulers. We have to remember the way they treat us. We have to promise we will not be like this.

"We' are not going to force our decisions on others. We are not going to be closed minded. We are going to listen and give everything a chance. We are not going to ignore ideas or make decisions until we understand them fully."

Shikano put his hand on top of hers. "I'm in."

Inochi put her hand on the top. "Me too. I promise."

And in her mind, Shikai's words echoed. She thought of Jashinism.

_Jashin saved me. I should give him a chance. I should fully understand this religion before I abandon it. _

* * *

The twenty four hours pasted more quickly than she expected. Inochi quickly found an excuse to leave her village: a search and rescue mission. There was no real success rate with them, and if there was it was very low. All she had to do was go late in the evening and claim she was searching in such and such part of the world for the person. When she didn't come back with the person, no one would give it a second thought.

Her missing person was a father who had went to the cloud country for farming supplies, but hadn't returned. It was two weeks past his expected return date and his family was worried. He would probably show up soon anyway. She didn't feel guilty.

She headed to the Nara forest late into the evening, around the same time she had been there the previous night. In the trees above her, two girls stood on the branches. All the deer were gone.

Inochi walked on. She didn't notice the stag's body ripped open, hidden well in the tangle of trees.

Brom never left his senpai's side. He felt comfortable with her, like a child did with his parents. He felt mentally like a child, but physically he towered over the adults. He was eighteen now and still growing!

"Senpai...?"

"Yes?" She tilted her head back to look up at him. She was dark skinned with braided hair held back with a red bandana. She dressed colorfully whenever she could and had dark eyes that sparked with life and joy.

"What if I don't fit in...with the Jashinists I mean. Where would I go?" It wasn't just just height that bothered him. It was his whole heritage. He was the son of a dark Cloud man and a pale Mist woman. His skin was mixed in an odd color that wasn't really white or black. He was raised up in the Land of Cloud, but he could always feel like he didn't belong.

His senpai had found him fighting. He was always fighting, always getting into trouble. What else could you do? He was twice the size of the bratty kids who made fun of him for simply being born. What kind of fool won't fight back?

That is when he heard of Jashinism. Senpai had shown him the potential. His violent nature would allow him to fit right in for once. They were killers, merciless and full of bloodlust. They didn't care about your body as long as you could use it to fight.

"Brom-san." Senpai stood on her toes and reached her hands up. She could only reach his shoulders, she was so small. She gave him a very motherlike smile. "I honestly couldn't think of a reason you won't fit in. Jashin-sama is willing to accept anyone loyal to him. As long as you follow his rules, you will never be outcast here.

"Now come closer. I have to tell you something."

Brom squatted down to her hight. The moment he did, she flicked her hand up in the air, knocked his hat straight of his head. "Gah!" Brom grabbed the edges and pulled it tightly back on so it reached his ears. "Senpai!" The woman just laughed as he tried hide his face.

"People returning!"

"Who is it!

"They brought a new girl!"

Brom looked over at the crowd of followers. "Who is it?" His senpai asked. Brom looked over the many heads crowding around the gate.

In the middle of the crowd were two scouts and a new girl he had never seen before. She was fair skinned with a kimono-like outfit. Rich maybe. Her blonde hair shined in the sunlight and was pulled back into a large ponytail. She seemed awfully tired from traveling at night and flustered from all the attention the Jashinsts gave her. He barely heard her say, "I didn't think there were so many of you.". She laughed a little, her voice high and ringing.

Broms face gained more color than it had when his senpai had pulled his hat off.

"Well who is it?"

"No one...just a new girl." A smile twitched on his face. It looked like she was smiling his way.


End file.
